Dekalb History Center - Fall Exhibits (thursdays)

From the venue:

Lipstick & Fire

Lipstick & Fire is a celebration of women = from DeKalb County and beyond. This exhibit highlights some individuals and moments whose contributions advanced womankind and society as a whole. Utilizing immense courage and determination, these women forged their own paths, leaving trails for future generations to follow.

This exhibit will be up for at least 18 months.

exhibit page here

Home: The United Methodist Children’s Home

Standing as a beacon of hope for children and families for 152 years, the United Methodist Children’s Home (UMCH) served as a place countless people called Home. Founded in 1871 in Norcross, Georgia, the Children’s Home was created to give children abandoned in the aftermath of the Civil War a place to be cared for. In 1877, the Home moved to Decatur and remained there until 2017.

Historic and contemporary photographs provide glimpses into the United Methodist Children’s Home, while first hand oral histories from past residents, employees, and volunteers detail life in the “Orphan’s Home” from 1943 to 2017. This fascinating history was documented through interviews and photography by Beate Sass with interview assistance from Moira Bucciarelli. Sass turned the combined work into a manuscript.

The work of the UMCH has continued to the present day under the name of Wellroot Family Services, now headquartered in Tucker. The City of Decatur purchased the UMCH’s former property in 2017. The public can visit the grounds and see the structures, as it has been converted into Decatur Legacy Park. Many of the historic buildings still remain, including the 1906 Moore Chapel. A new nonprofit, Legacy Decatur, currently manages the 77 acres as a park and leases the buildings to other nonprofits. Long range plans have been developed to guide future changes.

exhibit page here

200 Years of DeKalb County

Join the DeKalb History Center in commemorating more than 200 years of DeKalb with an exhibit honoring some of the people, places, and events that have contributed to the wide-ranging history of the county.

Starting out as the ancestral homeland to Indigenous Peoples such as the Muscogee (Creek) and Cherokee Nations, DeKalb County was officially established by settlers of European descent on December 9, 1822, shortly after the Land Lottery of 1821. This rural county eventually industrialized and became the largest dairy producer in the state and the worldâ’s largest producer of granite poultry grit. After World War II, business - and our population - boomed, as innovation and growth changed DeKalb and its residents. Advancements in transportation were seen with PDK Airport, Buford Highway, and MARTA, and passionate minds such as Scott Candler, Sr., Manuel Maloof, and Narvie Jordan Harris helped to modernize and diversify the county into the one we know and love today.

exhibit page here 

The Haven of Health and Happiness

Avondale Estates, The Haven of Health and Happiness

This exhibit dives into the history of Avondale Estates and brings to light details that were forgotten or simply left out of the city’s narrative.

Avondale Estates, Georgia, was established in 1924. Originally called Ingleside, Avondale developed quickly from mostly farmland into a - home lovers paradise = that was opened to new residents by 1925. The developer, George F. Willis, planned for a quaint “Old English” city with beautiful homes flanking a picturesque town center. It was also developed as an intentional “Whites Only” exclusive enclave, mirroring thousands of towns across the U.S. The majority of its historic buildings are preserved, but have ways of thinking remained in the last century as well?

Photo Caption: Mr. Grales, foreman, with horse, circa 1920s. Forkner Collection, DeKalb History Center Archives.

Exhibit closing date TBD.

exhibit page here