Old Stone Church Museum

Reminder of our battle with GDOT that continues still

GRAs Sydney Holmes and Móirín Cody prepare Civil War era objects recovered from Catoosa County, and surrounding areas, for labeling.

The Crinoid Challenge - can you guess how many crinoid segments are in the jar? Closest wins two solid thumbs up from Waring

Yesterday, Andrew Carter and GRAs Sarah Craig, Sydney Holmes, and Móirín Cody made the first of multiple trips to Old Stone Church Museum in Ringgold, GA. The e...xhibit team started the inventory phase of the Catoosa County Historical Society's holdings using a collections database system developed by Carter and Craig. This phase of the project will help the team identify objects which lend themselves well to sharing our stories while also providing the society with stability and structure in terms of collections management moving forward. Be sure to follow us to keep up with this and other great projects from Waring and our partners! UWG Center for Public History

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms performed here first!

NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 26, 2020 CATOOSA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY RECIEVES SUPPORT FROM SENATOR JEFF MULLIS... Catoosa County, Ga.- The Catoosa County Historical Society has received support from State Senator Jeff Mullis regarding the intersection of GA 2 and US 41adjacunt to the Old Stone Church. The Catoosa County Historical Society has objected to the recent construction at the intersection and is opposed to the proposed alterations of the intersection proposed by GDOT. The construction at the intersection has damaged the appearance of the Old Stone Church. The Old Stone Church is one of three buildings in Catoosa County on the National Register of Historic Places. It has great historical significance for the county. It was constructed along the old federal road which existed during the time that Catoosa County was part of the Cherokee Nation. Attached is a letter that supports the position of the Historical Society. The Letter is addressed to the head of the GA Department of Transportation, Russell R. McMurry. Senator Mullis is the Chairman of the Georgia Senate Rules Committee and as such no legislation goes forward that does not receive his committee’s approval. The Catoosa County Historical Society is appreciated of Senator Mullis’ support and looks forward to Georgia Department of Transportation reevaluating its plans for the intersection so as to include the alternative proposals submitted by the Catoosa County Historical Society. ................................................................................................ May 22, 2020 To: Russell R. McMurry, P.E. Commissioner GA Dept. of Transportation Subject: GDOT PI No. 00166177, Catoosa County GA Dear Commissioner McMurry Since our meeting latelast year I was recently contacted by the Catoosa County Historical Society about their continued concerns with the encroachment of the highway on the Old Stone Church Historic site in Catoosa County GA. The site is located at the intersection of Route 2 and US 41 south of Ringgold GA. This is one of the few remaining pre-civil war structures in Catoosa County and is unique in the entire state of Georgia for its type of construction, age and history dating back to the settling of this part of the state. I was disappointed to hear the Historical Society has not been contacted by your office concerning their alternative. GDOT has been in contact with the society about adjustments to the interchange so they can install a roundabout at the interchange in front of the Old Stone Church. As currently proposed by GDOT the plan will create an even further encroachment on the Historic Site. The society copied me with a letter they sent to you at the end of April outlining their concerns. To restate the letter in brief, it points out that the GDOT is focusing on modifying the current interchange at its current location without providing restoration of the Old Stone Church Historic Site to its original condition. The alternative which the Society gave to me and I delivered to you provides a reasonable solution. There may be other alternatives which could accomplish the goal of improving the traffic safety at the interchange and restoring the historic site but none have been presented by GDOT. Ignoring this problem now only means this issue will continue to be brought to the attention of GDOT going forward by the Historical Society and their elected representatives. The Catoosa County Historical Society was in existence many years before I took office and it will continue to be in existence long after I am gone. The people that are involved in this historical society are serious about preserving their local history and the GDOT should not ignore this organization. Since GDOT is studying ways to improve the traffic safety at the interchange this would be an ideal time to deal with both issues: Fix the traffic problem Restore the site of the Old Stone Church to its original condition. I hope you will direct your staff to address both of these issues going forward instead of focusing only on traffic concerns. I look forward to working with you and your office to address this issue. Yours to count on, Senator Jeff Mullis District 53 Capitol Office 453 State Capitol Atlanta, Georgia 30334 Tel: (404) 656-0057 Fax: (404) 651-6768 District Office 212 English Avenue Chickamauga, Georgia 30707 E-mail: [email protected]

Listening to my brother Jeff Wright give a terrific presentation on highlights in Catoosa County history.

MARCH 2020 CATOOSA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER The Catoosa County Historical Society will meet Monday, March 9 at 7 p.m. at the Old Stone Church Museum... for our monthly meeting. Our speaker will be MSgt. Jeffrey Wright (Ret.) of Kennesaw, GA. Mr. Wright is a native of Catoosa County and is the brother of local historian Tracy Wright. Jeffrey Wright is also a historian of local history, and for some time has been preparing a program of local history to present to the Historical Society. He is particularly interested in protecting the Old Stone Church from the GDOT road project, and wrote the following statement that was included in a response to the road project that accurately reflects our sentiments: "I am so sad to see the Old Stone Church falling victim to the unnessary road project. It breaks my heart to see it down below road level." This statement was sent to Chad Carlson with GDOT from the CCHS. Chad included it in our response to GDOT engineer Jeremy Scott, GDOT historian Sandy Lawrence, and project manager Krystal Stovall-Dixson. This promises to be an interesting program, and all our members are urged to attend and invite anyone interested in local history to attend also. Our meetings are open to the public, and everyone is welcome. It is time to renew our membership, and dues may be paid to our Treasurer, Sherry Edwards. We also welcome new members. I would like to announce the officers for the Catoosa County Historical Society. Our new President is Maurice Bandy, Vice President is Lamar White, Treasurer is Sherry Edwards, and Secretary is Margaret Wilson. The Program Committee Chairman is Nancy Crowe, who is also the second Vice President. We know that Maurice Bandy will be a fine President, and all other officers are valued as they continue their work for the Historical Society. This important work could not be done without everyone, members and officers, working together to make it happen. Refreshments will be served after the meeting, and the Refreshment Committee for January, February, and March is Linda Nofsinger, Sherry Edwards, and Nancy Crowe. This is our last month to serve this year, and we are looking for new members of the Refreshment Committee for April, May, and June. We have one member of that committee, Edna Jones, and we need two more people to serve. If you are interested, please sign up at the meeting. MARCH HAPPY BIRTHDAYS: Morris Hullender (11th), John Mahan (12)th), Margaret Wilson(30th) The Board of Directors is asked to meet at 6 PM for a Board meeting. The Old Stone Church Museum is located two miles South of Ringgold on Hwy. 41 at the intersection of Hwy 2 (41 Catoosa Parkway). We look forward to seeing you there!

The Catoosa County Historical Society held their February meeting, Monday night, February 10 at the Old Stone Church Museum. Our speaker for the evening was Dr.... Adam Ware, director of the Bandy Heritage Center, who announced the Bandy Heritage Center and Dalton State Library will work with the Library of Congress to bring the Veterans History Project to Northwest Georgia. See more

The Catoosa County Historical Society will meet on Monday, October 14th at 7 p.m.in the Old Stone Church Museum. The speaker will be Dr. Adam Ware, Director of the Bandy Heritage Center at Dalton State College. Dr. Ware is currently working with local historical groups in preserving our expansive history in North Georgia. He is collecting family photographs, period clothing, personal histories, and even recipes to document life in this area. He is involving all the northwest... Georgia historical groups, including Catoosa and Walker Counties and plans to partner these efforts with the Bandy Heritage Center. Dr. Ware has deep ties to Catoosa County and grew up spending his summers at the home of his grandmother, Mrs Lillie Ware, in Salem Valley. Mrs. Ware wrote the "Salem Valley Baptist News" for the local newspapers. Dr. Ware is considered a "living historian" and we look forward to seeing his presentation. It will be an exciting meeting, and we urge all to attend. Belated Happy OCTOBER Birthdays to Lamar White (5th) and JoAnn Russell (9th) and a Happy Birthday to Tony Henson (17th) Judy Reed, one of our members, is still at NHC in Fort Oglethorpe. She is in room 309 B and her phone number is 706-806-1379. She would welcome a visit. We welcome new or old news. If you have any we can use, please give it to Nancy. The Board is asked to come for a meeting at 6 p.m. Refreshments will be served after the program. Don't forget to invite someone to come with you. P.S. If anyone of you has any contact with Johnny Maxwell, please let us know. He is ill We have been unable to reach him on the phone for a few months.

Great Divide Pictures from Denver, Colorado filmed a hospital scene for a NPS movie at the Old Stone Church Museum (May 19 th 2012)