Latest Blog Roll

Covered Bridge at Brookhaven Park

 

Real estate developers coined the name Brookhaven about 1910, coming from brooks—creeks or streams—and haven, an idyllic place of rest.  Some candidates for the geographic “heart” of the community are its MARTA transportation facility or Brookhaven Station, with its pub restaurants and services.  However, for recreation and a delightful view of dogs enjoying expansive green space, there is no place quite like Brookhaven Park, fronting Peachtree at 2600 Osborne Road.

Memorial Day 1912

 

 

Memorial Day in the South 100 years ago had a strange dual personality to it. There were actually two celebrations, one for Confederate veterans at the beginning of the month and a much smaller one at the end of May for the “Federal Dead.” Both were all about the Civil War.

In 1912, the biggest news locally was the annual reunion of the South’s United Confederate Veterans (UCV), which was being held in Macon. Although traditional ceremonies were also held in Atlanta at Oakland Cemetery and around the courthouse square in Decatur, many Atlantans went to Macon for the great convocation that year.

Native Plant Sale

The Georgia Native Plant Botanical Garden will continue their Friday and Saturday Spring Native Plant Sales on May 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, and 25 from 10 am-2 pm.  Available for the Spring Native Plant Sales are many varieties of Native azaleas; a wide selection of Spring ephemerals, a great assortment of Native trees and shrubs and lots of perennial bedding plants. A very special offering is a variety of mature Trillium. And there are many choices of ferns now ready for sale. Purchases can be made by cash or personal check only.

Decatur Square from the Air

A real part of the charm of Decatur is the square and the configuration of roads and buildings around what we call the “old Courthouse,” constructed in 1917. Pictured above, the layout and perspective from the air affords an opportunity to see how Americans surveyed land after removing Indians from the frontier.  After the Creek land cession of 1821, the Georgia legislature, then in Milledgeville, created five “mega-counties” generally west of Gwinnett. One was Henry County, named after patriot Patrick Henry.  In 1822, lawmakers carved out of Henry County the new DeKalb County, named after Johan DeKalb, a German who served in the Revolutionary War.

Books (and Cats) at Atlanta Vintage Books

 

Some people say books are going away, but Jan Bolgla and her husband Bob Roarty, owners of Atlanta Vintage Books, disagree. The two, who met while working together  at a printing company, have always loved books, printing and publishing, but the grind of their demanding 24/7 jobs — Bob as a printing company manager and Jan as a graphic designer — was wearing them down.