Georgia Historical Society facts for kids
The Research Center's Reading Room, W. B. Hodgson Hall
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Seal of the Georgia Historical Society
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| Formation | 1839 |
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| Type | Independent Educational and Research Institution |
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Membership
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5,000 |
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President and CEO
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W. Todd Groce, Ph.D. |
The Georgia Historical Society (GHS) is a special group that helps people learn about the history of Georgia. It's like a big history club for the whole state! Based in Savannah, Georgia, GHS is one of the oldest history organizations in the United States. Since 1839, the society has been busy collecting, studying, and teaching Georgia's past. They do this through fun educational programs, books, and research.
Contents
- A Look Back: GHS History
- What GHS Does
- GHS Buildings and Spaces
- The GHS Research Center: A Treasure Chest of History
- Today in Georgia History
- Georgia History Festival
- Georgia Trustees: Honoring Great Georgians
- Georgia Historical Marker Program
- Vincent J. Dooley Distinguished Fellows Program
- Affiliate Chapter Program
A Look Back: GHS History
The Georgia Historical Society started in 1839 in Savannah, Georgia. This makes it the oldest history society in the Southern United States that has been open non-stop. It's also one of the oldest in the entire country! Many important people helped start GHS. Some of these founders included John Macpherson Berrien, William Bacon Stevens, and James Moore Wayne.
What GHS Does
The Georgia Historical Society is an independent group for the whole state. Its main job is to collect, study, and teach the history of Georgia. Think of it as a guardian of Georgia's past!
GHS Buildings and Spaces
The main home of the Georgia Historical Society is in Savannah. Savannah is the oldest city in Georgia. The GHS campus has two main parts: a research center and an education center. These two parts show how GHS focuses on both learning and teaching history.
The GHS Research Center is in a building called W. B. Hodgson Hall. This building was made for the Society in 1876. It has tall ceilings and cool metal decorations. The building is so special that it's on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1970, an extra part, the Abrahams Archival Annex, was added. This annex helps hold all the Society's old documents.
In 2011, GHS bought another old building nearby. This building is called the Jepson House Education Center. It was built in 1856. Today, it holds the main offices for the Society. It's where the leaders and staff work. In 2021, the Research Center got a big update. This included a new wing for archives and better spaces for working with historical items. The Society also has an office in Atlanta.
The GHS Research Center: A Treasure Chest of History
The Georgia Historical Society has a special research center. It's like a huge library and archive for everyone to use. Inside, you'll find the oldest collection of Georgia history items in the country. Imagine 5 million old papers, 100,000 photos, and 20,000 rare books! There are also thousands of maps, pictures, and artifacts. These items cover every part of Georgia and every time period.
GHS works with the Georgia Archives. The State Archives collects official government papers. GHS collects private papers and items from people, businesses, and groups. Each year, thousands of people use these materials. They come from all over the world to learn about the past. People use these collections to write history books, find out about their family tree, and even make movies!
Today in Georgia History
"Today in Georgia History" is a cool way to learn about the past. These are short, 90-second videos. Each video focuses on a person or event from Georgia's history that happened on that specific day. Experts from the Georgia Historical Society create these videos. You can watch them on Georgia Public Broadcasting.
Georgia History Festival
The Georgia History Festival is a big event for students from kindergarten to 12th grade. It's a six-month program that celebrates Georgia's history. The festival happens every year around February 12. That's the day the Georgia colony was founded in 1733. Fun events include a kickoff talk, a Colonial Faire, Super Museum Sunday, and the Georgia Day Parade.
Georgia Trustees: Honoring Great Georgians
The Georgia Trustees award is a special honor given by the Georgia Historical Society. The Governor of Georgia also helps choose the winners. This award goes to people who have done amazing things and helped their communities. They show the same good qualities as the original Trustees. These Trustees were the group who governed the Georgia colony from 1732 to 1752. New Trustees are honored each February at a special event in Savannah. Past winners include famous people like Hank Aaron, Ted Turner, and Vince Dooley.
Georgia Historical Marker Program
Since 1998, the Georgia Historical Society has managed the Georgia Historical Marker Program. These markers are like outdoor signs that tell you about important places or events. GHS has put up almost 300 new markers across the state. These markers are black with silver letters and have the Society's seal.
To put up a new marker, GHS works with local groups. It's a special process where the cost is shared. A committee reviews all the ideas for new markers. GHS also helps take care of over 2,100 older markers. These older markers were put up before 1998. They are usually green and gold and have the seal of the State of Georgia.
Vincent J. Dooley Distinguished Fellows Program
The Vincent J. Dooley Distinguished Fellows program honors Vince Dooley. He was a famous football coach and loved history and education. Coach Dooley was a big supporter of the Georgia Historical Society.
This program has two main goals. First, it honors important historians. Second, it helps new historians learn and grow.
- Dooley Distinguished Teaching Fellows are top historians who write and teach. Their research helps people understand the past better. They also help the Georgia Historical Society by teaching seminars or giving talks.
- Dooley Distinguished Research Fellows are younger historians. This program helps them research at the GHS Research Center. They can use the huge collection of old papers, photos, and books. This research helps them write important historical works.
This program helps make sure Coach Dooley's name is always linked to great historical research and learning.
Affiliate Chapter Program
The Georgia Historical Society also has an Affiliate Chapter Program. This is a network that helps local history groups all over Georgia. GHS offers workshops to teach them how to care for old records and items. They also visit these groups to give advice. The program started in 1996. It helps nearly 200 local history groups across the state. Any non-profit group that shares GHS's mission can join. This includes history clubs, museums, and preservation groups.
