Spring Place Festival returns in August

Charles Oliver, The Daily Citizen, Dalton, Ga.
·3 min read

Jul. 28—"Spring Place on the Move."

"That's the theme for this year's Spring Place Community Festival," said Tim Howard, one of the organizers of the event, which will take place Saturday, Aug. 20, starting at 8.m. at the Old Spring Place Methodist Church just off Georgia Highway 225 South. There is no admission fee.

"We will have pictures of various means of transportation, horse and ox cart, Model Ts (cars) and such," he said.

The photos will show how transportation has changed since the Old Federal Road was built through Spring Place in 1805.

"We'll have maps on display, all showing some of the history of the area," Howard said.

This will be the 25th annual festival which is a fundraiser to help preserve the church. The church was built in 1875 on a foundation from 1851. It is reported to be the oldest building for public use in Murray County. The festival is sponsored by the Spring Place Ruritan Club and the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society.

"We will also have all of the usual attractions," Howard said. "The auction, bake sale, flea market, book sale. We'll have some antique cars on display."

Organizers said the oldest car that will be displayed is a 1925 Model T owned by the Goswick family. The family had a general store on what is now Highway 286 in the Fuller's Chapel community.

"The car has been restored and was featured in Vintage Ford magazine in 2019," organizers said in a press release.

Those who attend can buy tickets for two different raffles, one for a free two-night stay at Mud Flat Molly's condo in Cedar Keys, Florida, the second for a "Picnic in the Park" basket. "25th Year" T-shirts will also be on sale.

Several vendors will be selling food, ranging from breakfast biscuits and coffee to locally-produced honey to various snacks.

The auction is scheduled to start at 10 a.m.

"This year the auction will include antique and vintage furniture, rugs donated by Value Carpets, local artist prints, gift cards from area restaurants and businesses, a basket of NASCAR collectibles, a Wii system with accessories, antique quilts, a set of 'Forget Me Not' china and a telescope," said organizers in the press release.

Auction items will be posted on the Old Spring Place Methodist Church Facebook page the week before the festival for potential buyers to look at.

The Murray High Alumni Association will also have prints, postcards and note cards featuring the "Old Rock Building" for sale. Built in 1934 by the Works Progress Administration, the building was the first consolidated high school in the county. It now houses the central office of Murray County Schools.

The Old Church Museum room will be open during the festival.

Parking will be on Elm Street, and there will be shuttles to the church and auction site provided.

To find out more about the festival, call Elizabeth Robinson at (706) 695-6021, Jyana and Chuck Smith at (706) 695-8297, or Howard at (706) 695-2740.