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Chamber of Commerce collection of Newnan history

 Collection
Identifier: NC-0009

Scope and Contents

Documents, photographs, and promotional materials created or collected by the Newnan Chamber of Commerce in Newnan, Georgia.

Most notable about this collection are the extensive materials about Dunaway Gardens, located in Newnan, Georgia. Dunaway Gardens were established by actress Hettie Jane Dunaway on her husband Wayne P. Sewell’s family lands around 1916. The garden feel into disarray after her death in 1961, later to be revitalized.

This collection includes photographs of the gardens and people in the gardens, along with photographs of performers who may have performed there or were friends with Hettie Jane Dunaway Sewell.

Of particular importance are the flyers and programs for Dunaway Gardens which span its inception to its closing. This includes an undated hand-drawn announcement, "Now Open Tea Room," and a 1934 invitation by the Newnan Garden Club to the unveiling of the garden totem pole. This invitation highlights the racial disparity in Newnan of this time, as the Sewell family lands were still referred to as a plantation and this program included the singing of "negro sprituals" by "Sewell Plantation Negroes." Also of note is a photograph of a Black community picnic in the garden, possibly dating to the 1930s-1940s based on the dress style.

Dates

  • 1912-1974

Conditions Governing Access

Open to all users.

Extent

0.96 Linear Feet (1 box, two OV folders in OV flat box)

Language

English

Overview

Documents, photographs, and promotional materials created or collected by the Newnan Chamber of Commerce in Newnan, Georgia.

Physical Location

Located at the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society in Newnan, Georgia. Please contact the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society for instructions on use.

Harmful Content Warning Note

This collection includes materials that contain offensive language and/or images. It is important to acknowledge that racism and bigotry, including terms considered derogatory and terms that were used historically, are present in this collection. Encountering racist or derogatory language content can be difficult and painful.

Processing Information

Collection processed by Jennah MacPherson in October 2020 and completed by Blynne Olivieri in October 2021 as part of the Community Archives program at the University of West Georgia Ingram Library Special Collections.

Processing Information

In June 2019, University of West Georgia Ingram Library Special Collections and the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society executed a Memorandum of Agreement under which Special Collections would assess and prioritize processing of archival collections held by the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society, assess preservation needs, and arrange and describe archival materials, thereby making them more publicly accessible. Work on this project was conducted under the leadership of Dr. Michael Camp starting in August 2019. The project was interrupted because of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic from March-September 2020, and was resumed in October 2020 under Head of Special Collections, Blynne Kensel Olivieri, only to go under a hiatus again due to a COVID-19 surge in the region. The project is expected to conclude in 2022.

Processing Information

Funding to support this project was generously provided by the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Council (GHRAC) and the Board of Directors of the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society.

Title
Guide to the Chamber of Commerce Collection of Newnan History
Status
Completed
Author
Jennah MacPherson and Blynne Olivieri
Date
2021
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Newnan-Coweta Historical Society Repository

Contact:
McRitchie-Hollis Museum
74 Jackson Street
Newnan GA 30263 USA
770-2510207