[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 16, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2781-S2782]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNITION OF THE 160TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GEORGIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

 Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge and 
salute the Georgia Historical Society, which on March 20, 1999 will 
celebrate 160 years of collecting and preserving our rich history for 
all Georgians.
  The Georgia Historical Society was chartered in 1839 by the Georgia 
General Assembly and currently has more than 5,000 members from all 
across Georgia and the entire nation. As a non-profit organization, the 
Society remains the oldest cultural institution in the State of Georgia 
and is one of the oldest organizations in our country. For sixteen 
decades the Society has collected, preserved and shared Georgia's rich 
history with many Georgians through various educational outreach 
programs and research services.
  The Georgia Historical Society's archives and library are operated in 
cooperation with the office of Georgia's Secretary of State. During my 
years as Secretary of State I relied on the Georgia Historical Society 
on numerous occasions for valuable information concerning our State's 
history, and I truly believe that the Society is a real treasure that 
all of us should use and enjoy.

[[Page S2782]]

The Society has the most extensive collection in the country of 
manuscripts, books, maps, photographs, newspapers, architectural 
drawings, portraits and artifacts related to Georgia's history that 
date back to the founding of the Colony and continue through the 
twentieth century.
  The Georgia Historical Society stays in close contact with the 
citizens it serves so well. Since the founding of the Colony of Georgia 
at Savannah on February 12, 1733 by James Edward Oglethorpe, Georgians 
have celebrated this historical date. This year the Georgia Historical 
Society and the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools continued this 
tradition by organizing and hosting the Georgia Heritage Celebration on 
Thursday, February 12, 1999. As part of the Celebration the Society 
honors Georgians who have made a positive impact on the state. This 
year's honoree was Peter Tonedd, who was a master carpenter and tavern 
owner. Previous honorees have included James Jackson, Revolutionary War 
hero, U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator and Governor of Georgia; Mary 
Telfair, philanthropist in the arts and medicine; Abraham Baldwin, 
signer of the Declaration of Independence; Juliette G. Low, Founder of 
the Girl Scouts; Andrew Bryan, a Baptist minister; and James 
Oglethorpe.
  The Society also holds monthly lectures on a wide variety of 
historical topics and yearly conferences focusing on local communities, 
and conducts special tours at various historical locations across 
Georgia. The Georgia Historical Society also publishes books and a 
quarterly news magazine, Footnotes, on Georgia's history and genealogy, 
as well as The Georgia Historical Quarterly, a journal on Georgia's 
history that was established in 1917.
  I would especially like to commend the Georgia Historical Society for 
diligently working on behalf of all Georgians in the historical 
preservation of our State's history. The Society provides a vast 
collection of records and artifacts to thousands of researchers and 
genealogists from around the world.
  I applaud the Georgia Historical Society for preserving and teaching 
our State's history. We must not allow the pride and glory of our State 
and our Nation to be forgotten--it must be celebrated by all. The 
benefits of enriching the people of Georgia by promoting a better 
understanding of our past and who we are as Georgians must not be 
ignored.
  Mr. President, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in 
recognizing and honoring the dedication and hard work of the Georgia 
Historical Society during the past 160 years. The efforts put forth by 
the Society have preserved and will continue to preserve our rich 
history by ensuring a future for Georgia's past.

                          ____________________