Georgia Historical Society to Dedicate Historical Marker for the Old Governor’s Mansion in Milledgeville And Presentation of the Roger K. Warlick Award to the Sallie Ellis Davis House

Savannah, Ga., September 22, 2014 – The Georgia Historical society announced today that they will dedicate a new Historical Marker, this Wednesday, September 24 for the Old Governor’s Mansion in Milledgeville, Ga. The marker dedication will be held on September 24th at 11:00 a.m. at 120 S. Clarke Street in Milledgeville, GA. Speakers for the event will include, Steve Dorman, President of Georgia College, Matthew S. Davis, Director of the Old Governor’s Mansion and Christy Crisp, Director of Programs for the Georgia Historical Society.

The Marker Reads: Old Governor’s Mansion The Old Governor’s Mansion served as Georgia’s Executive Mansion from 1839-1868. Designed by architect Charles Cluskey, the Mansion is built in the High Greek Revival Style. The Mansion served as the residence of eight governors, their families, and their slaves and free servants. The building was a symbol of Georgia’s economic prosperity as the “Empire State of the South” during the antebellum period. In the Civil War, during Major General William T Sherman’s March to the Sea, the Mansion was captured by U.S. forces and served as his headquarters on November 23, 1864. In 1889, the Old Governor’s Mansion became the founding building of what would later become Georgia College & State University. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1973, the Old Governor’s Mansion was restored to its c.1851 appearance in 2004 for use as a museum. Erected by The Georgia Historical Society, Georgia College & State University, and The Old Governor’s Mansion. Following the Marker Dedication, Georgia Historical Society will present the Roger K. Warlick Local History Achievement Award to the Georgia College and State University and the Old Governor’s Mansion for their work in restoring the Sallie Ellis Davis House. Sallie Ellis Davis was an educator and principal of Eddy High School who shaped the lives of African-American children. Formerly listed on the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation’s “Places in Peril,” the House was restored in 2012 for use as an African-American Cultural Center.

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