Augusta Public Library Local History and Genealogy

Yes, TV’s favorite reality show featuring celebrities uncovering their genealogy is coming back to television! Who Do You Think You Are? will be airing on TLC on July 23! You can read more about the show’s new season highlights here:

http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/05/22/eight-new-episodes-of-who-do-you-think-you-are-to-premiere-july-23-on-tlc/183740/

Join us on Saturday, June 8th, to create a seven generation ancestry tree. We will supply the tree on heavy card stock. All you need to bring are the names of your ancestors. The program will start at 2:00 in the afternoon.

The Augusta Genealogical Society and the Augusta Museum of History are partnering with Erick Montgomery of Historic Augusta to present the program “Sorting Fact from Fiction: President Wilson’s Grandparents’ Immigration Story. The program will be held on Thursday, May 2, at 3pm, at the Augusta Museum of History and is free and open to the public.

Once again Erick Montgomery, the director of Historic Augusta, will lead a walking tour of downtown historic Augusta. This time we will go down 9th Street to Broad Street and back again. Bring your walking shoes and your cameras!

May 11th
10:30 am

Meet at the Georgia Heritage Room
Augusta-Richmond County Public Library

Please call 706-826-1511 to reserve your spot.

May’s Brown Bag History Series Lecture

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA (4/22/13) – As part of its continuing Brown Bag History Series, the Augusta Museum of History presents, Southern Cooking a talk given by Barbara Howard Ross, on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 12:30 p.m. Her talk will include information about the development of Southern cuisine, the iconic foods and beverages, and identify local dishes.

Mrs. Howard is currently chef and owner of 5 O’clock Bistro on 2111 Kings Way, right off of Central Avenue. She has taught culinary arts at Harlem High School and Grovetown High School. Mrs. Howard has a Master’s degree in Education and received her culinary training at Johnson and Wales University in Miami and the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley. She is a local girl originally from Waynesboro, Georgia who was fortunate enough to travel the world. She has two children, a son Don Howard who is married to Merridith Howard and they have little boy name Tripp (Barbara’s joy and love); a daughter, Laura Burns who is married to Robert Burns and they live in Scotland. Her favorite foods to prepare are pastries especially the 5 O’Clock Bistro Cheese Cake.

The Brown Bag History Series is an educational lecture series provided monthly by the Augusta Museum of History, and is an ideal lunch-time break for downtown professionals, retirees, and students. The lectures are free to Museum members and $3 for non-members. Participants should bring a lunch and the Museum will only be providing beverages. Lunch can begin as early as 11:30 a.m.; the lecture runs from 12:30 – 1:00 p.m.

The Greenblatt Library at Georgia Regents University will be presenting the third lecture in their History of the Health Sciences series. “The Chronicle of George and Procuring Specimens for the Teaching of Anatomy” will take place on Friday, April 26 from 12 noon- 1pm in Room 108. George, the star of the lecture, is a mummified body that was used as an anatomical cadaver by MCG students. The lecture is free and open to the public. Please contact Renee Sharrock at 706-721-3444 if you have any questions.

Thursday, May 16, 2013
6:30-9:30 pm

At the home of Mr. and Mrs. Raymond John Doumar
2644 Henry Street

Historic Augusta’s annual Cotton Ball is an opportunity to mingle in a historic setting while enjoying a delicious meal, drinks, mint juleps, and great music. Admission to the Cotton Ball is by current, new or renewing membership in Historic Augusta, Inc., which is open to all who are interested in preserving our city’s historic places. Memberships start at just $50 for individuals and $85 for couples. For more information call Historic Augusta at 706-724-0436.

May 3-4, 2013

May is National Historic Preservation Month. Celebrate by taking an intimate look inside historic buildings in the Augusta Downtown Historic District during the annual Downtown Loft Tour. All proceeds benefit the projects and programs of Historic Augusta. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 during the tour. For tickets and more information, call Historic Augusta at 706-724-0436.

Georgia Regents University-Augusta will be conducting three programs in April as part of the Augusta’s Viewpoint: Understanding the Civil War series:

Monday, April 15

Book Discussion, 7 pm, Washington Hall (Summerville)

Dr. Debra van Tuyll, Professor of Communications at Georgia Regents University, will lead an open discussion of Thomas J. Brown’s latest work- Remixing the Civil War: Mediations on the Sesquicentennial.

 Saturday, April 20

Driving Tour of Civil War Augusta, 2pm, Fanning Hall (Summerville)

The tour will begin on the Summerville campus, the site of the Augusta Arsenal, in the Fanning Hall parking lot. Drive along with the group and learn about the landmarks and memorials that shape Augusta’s history. The tour will conclude at the old Sibley Mill, the site of the old Confederate Powder Works. Reservations are not required but suggested.

 Sunday, April 21

“The Steampunk Civil War” Presented by Thomas J. Brown

2pm, Washington Hall (Summerville)

Join us as we conclude our year-long celebration with Dr. Thomas J. Brown’s provocative lecture, “The Steampunk Civil War,” Brown will look at the development of war technology during the civil war as a precursor to the cultural obsession.

For more information contact Reese Library Special Collections at spcoll@gru.edu or by calling 706-667-4912.