Duluth Historical Society Blog

Preserving our history, recording the present and reaching for the future

Annual Plant Sale

Exciting things are happening at the historic Strickland House in Duluth this Saturday, April 21, 2012. The Duluth Historical Society will hold its annual plant sale from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. A variety of outdoor and indoor plants, shrubs, flowers, fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, and pass-along plants will be available for sale. In addition, on Saturday, the historical society will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony to debut its newly opened community garden. Plots are now available for rent. And, while you’re there…please explore our Certified Wildlife Habitat, created by Duluth Girl Scout Troop 1941, and attend the dedication ceremony to celebrate this new designation on the grounds of the Strickland House.

All proceeds from the plant sale support the Duluth Historical Society.

Organic Agriculture

At its April meeting, the Duluth Historical Society welcomed guest speaker Mr. Sandy Asbill, owner of Sangrit Enterprises in Clarkesville, Georgia. Mr. Asbill, a former Marine, soil scientist, and seed company manager, is currently in private enterprise in organic agriculture. On Tuesday night, he spoke on the benefits of organic agriculture as an alternative to the use of factory chemicals in gardening.

Before 1973, Mr. Asbill subscribed to the agricultural methods he learned as a college student, which included the use of factory fertilizers to produce crops and factory chemicals to control pests and diseases in soils, crops, and livestock. After being introduced to organic agriculture, Mr. Asbill set out to disprove the claim that crops could be economically produced without the support of pesticides and factory fertilizers. What he learned, instead, was that not only were crops being produced without synthetic inputs, but were most often healthier and higher yielding using organic methods. This eye-opening experience was the catalyst that led Mr. Asbill to a career dedicated to the re-introduction and re-education of gardeners and farmers in the natural system of crop production.

Mr. Asbill’s organic gardening methods will, no doubt, be of great value to home gardeners and to those who will be starting their gardens in Duluth’s new community garden located at the historic Strickland House on Buford Hwy. Plots are currently available for rent. Please call Judy Wilson at 770-232-7584 or send email to comgarden@duluthhistorical.org if you are interested in a plot at the Strickland House Community Garden.

Thanks to Gwen Filardi for submitting this great summary of the meeting!

April is a busy month!

We have a lot going on this month at the Duluth Historical Society. It’s a great month to see the museum and it will be last month to see the 100 Years of Girl Scouting exhibit.

April 10: We will have a special speaker at our monthly meeting. Join us and your neighbors at 7:00 pm.

April 13-14: The house will be closed for a very special event. We love having weddings here!

April 20-21: The New Dawn Theater has graciously offered all proceeds from this weekend of their production of “Murder on the Nile” to go to the Duluth Historical Society. Tickets are only $15 for the show and only $25 for dinner and the show. Dinner will start at 6:30 pm and the show starts at 8:00 pm. It’s a great way to spend the evening and support your local history at the same time! Visit http://www.newdawntheatercompany.com/ for more details.

April 21: ANNUAL SPRING PLANTS SALE! This is a very fun event. We will start at 10:00 am and go until 4:00 pm, or until all the plants are sold. Be sure to get to the house early to get a good selection. Many of the plants have been donated by local residents, so you know it will do well in the area. We will also be answering questions about the new Duluth Community Garden and dedicating the area as a Certified Wildlife Habitat!

April 28: Historical Society members will be on hand at the grand opening of the Chattapoochie Dog Park. The ribbon cutting will be at 10:00 am, and during the day, one dog will be named “Top Dog.” This special pet will be the Grand Marshal for the October Poochfest event. It should be a lot of fun!

Celebrating 100 Years of Girl Scouts Exhibit

1914-1928 Khaki Uniform. On loan from the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta Archives.

Duluth Cadette Troop 1941 of the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta would like to invite everyone to “Celebrating 100 Years of Girl Scouting in Georgia.” The exhibit at the Duluth Historical Society Museum, located
in the Strickland House on Buford Highway, will open February 3, 2012, and run through April 28, 2012. The public will be able to learn more about the history of Girl Scouting and view artifacts such as original handbooks and uniforms on loan from the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta Archives. The exhibit at the Duluth City Hall will feature information regarding current troops and the service they perform within the community. An open house will be held on Sunday, February 12, 2012, from 3:00-5:00 pm at the Strickland House.

The Cadette troop also encourages the public to bring their memories and pictures to share of Girl Scouting in Gwinnett County, as they are compiling a more complete history of Girl Scouting in this area of Georgia. Artifacts from several local families are featured in the exhibit, including a 1930s era uniform.

The entrance to the Duluth Historical Society Museum is free for members, or $3 per adult and $1 per student. The Duluth Historical Society Museum is located at 2956 Buford Highway, Duluth, GA 30096, and can be reached at 770-232-7584 or www.duluthhistorical.org.

Pancake Breakfast with Santa’s Elves

Breakfast in the Tea Room

It is time once again for our annual Pancake Breakfast! Join us at the Strickland House on Saturday, December 10, 2011, from 8:00 am to 11:00 am and let us do the cooking for your whole family. Afterwards, enjoy a story read by Santa’s Elves in front of the fireplace. You can even bring your own camera to take a picture of your children with Santa’s Elves.

The cost is only $5 per person. Come on out and meet fellow Duluth residents. This event is always a lot of fun! All proceeds go towards the Strickland House and the Duluth Historical Society.

Happy Veterans Day

If you live in Duluth, you can’t help but notice the crosses and flags set out for all of our area veterans who have died in various wars. Everyone has heard the story of Alice Harrell Strickland, who was the first woman mayor of Duluth (and the first woman mayor in Georgia). However, did you know that two of her sons were in the military?

Newton Harrell Strickland (1884-1960) was a graduate of Georgia Tech, and made the military his career. He served in the United States Army in France and Germany in both World War I and World War II. After World War II he retired as a colonel.

Glenn B. Strickland

Glenn Beauregard Strickland (1886-1967) graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1909. He was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy in World War I and was a commander in World War II. He was also one of the first Naval aviators. He was the 34th to get his wings, but he was the first to request flight training in 1909. According to a letter his son, Glenn G. Strickland, wrote to his cousin, Alice Ziegler, on 17 Jan 1975, he wrote:

“His request was returned to him from the Navy Department, saying ‘At this time, the Navy does not have any need for officers with the ability to fly aeroplanes. Nor, is any need anticipated. If the situation changes, you will be notified.’ That’s why he is number 34 instead of number 1. But, #1, T. E. Ellyson, was killed in an airplane crash in 1928, so it’s probably all for the best. As a matter of fact, he outlived all the first 24. Only three earlier aviators outlived him.”

We would love to compile more Duluth-area veterans’ stories. Please contact us at duluthhistorical@gmail.com with your story. Thanks to all our veterans for the service they have provided over the years!

Chattapoochie Pet Fest

Chattapoochie Pet Fest Flyer

Mark your calendars and join us for the 3rd annual Chattapoochie Pet Fest, celebrating dogs and cats, on Sunday, October 3. It will take place on the Duluth Town Green from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. We have expanded the focus to include our favorite purring pets as well, since many of us have both in our homes.

A pet costume will be a new highlight. There will be pet vendors, food vendors, adoptions, craft vendors, and rescue groups such as the Gwinnett Humane Society.  All proceeds will benefit the Historic Strickland House, the home of the original Gwinnett Humane Society.

For more information, including an online vendor application, please visit: http://www.duluthhistorical.org/chattapoochee/index.html. See you there!

Duluth alcohol plan headed to city council

DULUTH — A daily jaunt through the Town Green with wine in a plastic cup is less likely after Duluth’s Alcohol Review Board balked at the idea.

The board decided against recommending a Savannah-inspired idea to allow people to stroll through shops while finishing a drink.

Instead, members recommended extending the benefit of leaving a restaurant with a glass to enjoy a special event at the Town Green. If the City Council follows the unanimous recommendation, any restaurant in the historic district would be allowed to sell to patrons going to the park, instead of only those that back up to the Town Green.

The option would open up to Chocolate Perks, which is located along Main Street, and any other restaurant that opens in the area. Steverino’s and Cafe Park already have the privilege, said Economic Development Manager Chris McGahee.

“They (review board members) wanted to restrict it to just the times the city has already sanctioned events where alcohol can be on Town Green,” he said. (Event-goers are also allowed to bring alcohol from home on those days.) “They made the determination that at this time Duluth was not ready, and did not need that option (every day).”

Duluth to seek info on theater project

The Duluth City Council agreed Monday to authorize the Duluth Downtown Development Authority to seek architectural drawings for replacing part of the Red Clay Theater downtown.

The proposed building includes a large lobby for gatherings, a box office, restrooms, and an administrative office. The sketches, created by the Duluth architectural firm of Hill Foley Rossi & Associates, were labeled “Duluth City Playhouse.”

See rest of report here.

Fine tuning: Violin maker calls Duluth home

DULUTH — Ok Kyum Kim’s face is staid as he drags the bow across the viola’s strings.
A viola hums in a small downtown Duluth store. Inside Huthmaker Violins, a bespectacled, short Korean man with wavy, dark hair is playing.

Ok Kyum Kim - Huthmaker Violin Guy

Staff Photo: Jason Braverman
Ok Kyum Kim went to the top violin making school in the world in Italy and recently placed third in the international viola making competition, his first time entering. Kim, based in Duluth, also restores and repairs violins and works at Huthmaker.

Huthmaker is located on Main Street in Downtown Duluth.

Read the full story HERE