This year’s ‘places in peril’ includes fire ravaged courthouse in Fairburn

The Georgia Trust has released its latest list of “places in peril” across the state, and half are in metro Atlanta.

“We hope the list will continue to bring preservation solutions to Georgia’s imperiled historic resources by highlighting 10 representative sites,” president and CEO of the trust, Mark McDonald said.

This year’s sites include: 229 Auburn Avenue in Atlanta (Fulton County); Beulah Grove Lodge and School in Douglasville (Douglas County); Chickamauga Masonic Lodge No. 221 (Walker County); Dasher High School in Valdosta (Lowndes County); Dudley Motel, Cafe and Service Station in Dublin (Laurens County); Lee’s Mill Ruins on the Flint River in Forest Park (Clayton County); McConnell-Chadwick House in Milton (Fulton County); Old Campbell County Courthouse in Fairburn (Fulton County); Wilkes County Training School in Washington (Wilkes County); and the Yates House in Ringgold (Catoosa County).

The Georgia Trust said the places in peril list “is designed to raise awareness about Georgia’s significant historic, archaeological and cultural resources, including buildings, structures, districts, archaeological sites and cultural landscapes that are threatened by demolition, neglect, lack of maintenance, inappropriate development or insensitive public policy.”

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One of this year’s sites includes the Old Campbell County Courthouse in Fairburn. The 150-year-old courthouse caught fire in September.

It’s been vacant for years, and while many have wanted to restore the building, the Old Campbell County Historical Society says there wasn’t funding to do the work.

“When I was a child, I took ballet and tap dancing upstairs and my Girl Scouts, we met up there. This was a courthouse where they actually held court in Campbell County,” Jane Storey of the Old Campbell County Historical Society said.

Investigators still have not determined what caused the fire.

“The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation works for the preservation and revitalization of Georgia’s diverse historic resources and advocates their appreciation, protection and use,” a news release said.

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