The Metcalfe Heritage Society was organized to support and promote the programs of the

Metcalfe Community Association and to assist with the preservation of the community’s

history and historic resources. Everyone is welcome to join us!

heritagesociety

Contact us at 229-226-6016 www.ThomasvilleLandmarks.org

metcalfe

Past is Present Metcalfe Community News >>>

BBQ in Community Park!

Theresa Kindred Brown

Scores of people turned out for the Community

Association’s annual event! Besides eating

great food, raising funds, taking nominations

for new board members and visiting with

neighbors, a special presentation was made to

the man whose vision, selfless hard work and

perseverance made the park a reality: Wentie

Kindred.

Left: Wentie Kindred and outgoing MCA Board

Chair Tom Harrison ; Below: Elinor Reichert and

Kathleen Scott

Putting the E back in Metcalfe - Economics,

Energy, Everybody. We used this phrase

some months ago in our publicity for

Metcalfe! The EVERYBODY is truly work-

ing in that there is more interest from all

corners for Metcalfe than it has been for

many years. While the Educators (from

Landmarks’ Heritage Education Workshop

for Teachers) were dining at Mary’s Kitchen,

I looked around and there was MHS member

and Swift descendant, Emily (“Inky”)

McBride Bush, having come to pick up her

work at Decorative Fabrics, the NEW

Metcalfe store. And mention Metcalfe in any

conversation and everybody wants to know

MORE! Just everybody has a relative from

or in Metcalfe and this was evident last Sun-

day at the First United Methodist Church in

Thomasville, when Nicholas and Bowen

(Lybrook) Clay brought their baby son to be

christened. Nick expressed enthusiasm about

joining MHS, and it was his great grand-

mother who was the proprietor of the store in

the 1960s and 70s that now is Decorative

Fabrics! And a Metcalfe saint she was –

Cynthia Harvell!

It was pure pleasure to visit with Elmer

Horne, Jr., and his wife, Sara (Thomas)

Horne at the Metcalfe Barbecue in the new

Park. Elmer, a former journalist, has the

most interesting tales of Metcalfe in the

1930s. He mentioned how his father, Elmer

Horne, Sr., and my grandfather, W.B. Wat-

kins, Jr., were watermelon competitors and it

was awkward for my grandfather to come

into the Horne store (the red brick one on the

corner) to use the telephone as they were

both trying to sell to the same Northern buy-

ers!! Sara’s dad was Mr. Alton Thomas, who

owned one of the two grocery stores in the

1930s – 60s, and Sara was one of 4 children

– three of whom are pictured in our Metcalfe

DVD on the running board of Metcalfe’s

wooden school bus. Elmer mentioned he

had joined his children in MHS – now that is

a great idea!!!! Numbers are important in

trying to solicit grants as well as for other

things.

And it was singular to have at the Barbecue

descendants of the two men who gave the

land that became the town of Metcalfe. Eli-

nor Reichert of Monticello was there – the

granddaughter of James Lilly, who gave the

land on the East side of the road and the land

for the Baptist Church – and also MHS

Steering Committee member Kathleen Scott

came too - whose great-grandfather, Thom-

as C. Mitchell, gave the land on the West

side of the road in what was to be downtown

Metcalfe and the land on the hill above for

the Methodist Church. They were given a

warm hand by the Barbecue group! What

history was before us!

Above: Elmer Horne, Jr., Theresa Kindred Brown, and Sara Thomas Horne

Issue

happenings summer2011

Metcalfe has a special charm that daily captures the imagination of photographers. What is

it that is so unique? For one thing, the downtown is practically frozen in time, in terms of

architecture. The buildings have a patina that is so unique when compared to the down-

towns of newer, planned communities. How can the buildings be used to preserve that

patina while generating income to maintain them AND provide needed services to both

residents and tourists? Could it be more light manufacturing, such as Decorative Fabrics?

A specialty store, such as Bradley’s Country Store? What other ideas do you have? Please

let us know!

What is your vision for the future of Dowtown Metcalfe? Income from the sale of these items benefits the

MHS. They are available at Landmarks & Decorative Fabrics. Or email Theresa Brown for direct service: tkbrown@ix.netcom.com.

Metcalfe Memorabilia for Sale >>>

Horne and Dandy Brand Watermelon Coffee Mugs Metcalfe Heritage Society Canvas Bags Metcalfe—Once Upon a Time and NOW! DVDs

The Georgia Department of Transporta-

tion announced recently that Thomas

County would receive a 2011 Transporta-

tion Enhancement (TE) Grant in the

amount of $150,000 for improvements to

downtown Metcalfe. Thomasville Land-

marks submitted the grant on behalf of the

county. Metcalfe’s county commissioner,

Moses Gross, supported the grant applica-

tion. Thomasville Landmarks, with sup-

port from the Metcalfe Heritage Society,

is committed to working with the county

to move the project forward.

The goal of the project is to improve the

aesthetics of the downtown and the pedes-

trian experience. During a visioning ses-

sion held at the Metcalfe Methodist

Church in 2009, the downtown commer-

cial area was identified as one of the com-

munity’s priorities. The desire is not only

to preserve the buildings, but also to in-

crease safety and draw businesses there.

Conceptual improvements include defined

parking, sidewalks and crosswalks, light-

$150,000 Grant Secured! ing, trees, traffic slowing and other im-

provements.

The grant request also included funds to

improve storm water drainage, as well

as improvements to the alley behind the

commercial buildings. The total amount

awarded was less than the amount re-

quested; the scope of work will be modi-

fied to fit the funding award. A commu-

nity planning session will be held to

define priorities and design schemes that

best represent the identity of Metcalfe.

The grant submitted was for phase I of a

multi-phase project. Future plans call for

a park and walking track, relocation of

Hood Lumber’s truck scales, an outdoor

museum and the renovation of down-

town buildings.

Metcalfe has enjoyed a resurgence in

community spirit and historic preserva-

tion since being listed on the Georgia

Trust for Historic Preservation’s 2009

Places in Peril list. Respectively, the

Metcalfe Community Association, the

Metcalfe United Methodist Church and

several individuals have held events,

built a community park, and rehabilitat-

ed historic buildings since that time.

It is due to the contributions of our

members that we were able to apply for

the grant, so we wanted to let you know

of our success! Look for more news

about this exciting project, which will

take up to 24 months to complete.

Local Assets: Artists At the Spring Stroll-n-Roll, Mary Beverly won a beautiful print of the Commercial Bank of Metcalfe donated by local artist Kay Cromartie.

ironrockstudio.com

June 22, 2011 Fifteen area educators dined at Mary’s

Kitchen and toured Metcalfe landmarks

such as the Depot, Methodist Church and

Rushin House.

June 24, 2011 Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation

President/CEO Mark McDonald visited

Metcalfe to see the progress made since

the 2008 Places in Peril kick off event.

June 25, 2011 MHS collected

$140 at the June

25 BBQ selling

watermelon slices

and mugs and

added two mem-

berships. Many

thanks to all vol-

u n t e e r s w h o

helped make our effort a success!

MHS Activities>>>

Above: Mark McDonald, Lois Mason and Brent Runyon; Below: Educators are treated to a special

luncheon at Mary’s Kitchen.