Darien, GA - Athenaeum@UGA
Transcription
Darien, GA - Athenaeum@UGA
The Ashantilly Center Darien, GA A Project by Caleb King The Ashantilly Center “Preserving Georgia’s Coastal Heritage” The Ashantilly Center in Darien, Georgia is a cultural hub on the Georgia coast. Built in the late eighteenth century by Thomas Spalding as a mainland winter home, it has changed over the years but the spirit and the history of the home remain very much alive. The Mission Statement of The Ashantilly Center: “To organize and implement a program of conservation, including Ashantilly propHUW\DQGLWVOHJDF\WRSURYLGHDYHKLFOHIRUFRQWLQXLQJHGXFDWLRQVFLHQWL¿FDGYDQFHPHQW and charitable endeavor, which focus on the natural and built environments integral to the Georgia coast.” Goals of The Ashantilly Center: Project Program: - Restore the historical character of the site by rebuilding features such DVDIRUPDOJDUGHQEDUQDQGDJULFXOWXUDO¿HOGV - Provide infrastructure to support events by designing outdoor restrooms, visitor parking, utility connections on the lawn, lighting, and storage space for the center. - Provide educational opportunities for schools and the public by creating an interpretive historical garden and demonstration space. -Provide opportunities for research on site by creating habitat and preserving the coastal ecosystems, creating historical demonstration areas, and utilizing historical bulding practices. - Promote Georgia Coastal heritage and history - Conserve the coastal ecosystems - Conserve local cultural practices - Promote research of historical practices and new technologies Front of House The Ashantilly Foundation was created in 1996 by William G. +D\QHVLQDQHɣRUWWRSUHVHUYHWKLVKLVWRULFDOWUHDVXUH,WLVRYHUVHHQE\ a volunteer board of directors and maintained through donations and event admissions. The Center hold many cultural and historical events, as well as workshops involving the Ashantilly Printing Press. Back of House Formal Fountain Remnants Ashantilly History House is built by Thomas Spalding as a winter home and jointure for his wife Sarah. The house is built with tabby, a material containing oyster shells that Spalding had perfected. 1820 1870 The Haynes family purchase Ashantilly as a place to collect art and other historical items. 1918 1937 $GLVDVWURXV¿UHGHVWUR\VDOOEXW the tabby core of the house. The Wilcox/Middleton family buys Ashantilly from Thomas Spalding’s son, Charles Spalding. They modernize the house and add a hip roof and loggias connecting the wings. 7KH+D\QHVIDPLO\¿QLVKHVUHVWRUDWLRQ RIWKHKRXVHDIWHUWKH¿UH7KHZLQJVDUH expanded, a gabled roof and a third story are built, and a rear staircase is added. 1950’s 1996 The Ashantilly Center Inc. is formed by %LOO+D\QHVDVDQRQSUR¿WRUJDQL]DWLRQ dedicated to preserving the legacy of the house. Vicinity Map & Visitor Potential The city of Darien, Georgia is centrally located among a population of over 600,000 people along the Georgia coast. Some of the major hubs within an hour drive of Darien include Savannah, Jesup, Brunswick, and St. Mary’s. By focusing on Georgia’s coastal heritage, Ashantilly and the city of Darien can be an attraction for the entire coastal population. Printing Press Workshop Local Events Inventory The city of Darien, GA is a small coastal town with big cultural traditions. The people of Darien trace their roots back to rich cultural pools such as Scottish Highlanders and Gullah-Geechee peoples. Because of this, many festivals and events occur throughout the year to celebrate this heritage. The largest of the events is the “Blessing of the Fleet” held every April to kick of the local shrimping season. This multi-day event can draw in over 30,000 people. Other events such as a fall festival, art shows, and historical reenactments have a smaller crowd. The Ashantilly Center also holds its own events throughout the year which focus on local history and the Ashantilly press. The annual Ice Cream Churn Off every Labor day weekend, and the Scottish Heritage festival in March see the largest crowds. In order to ensure the continued success and growth of these events, it is important not to overlap, but instead, supplement throughout the year so there is a constant draw to the city. The graph below compares the number of regularly scheduled events held by the City of Darien and by Ashantilly. By increasing events at Ashantilly when there are fewer Municipal events, the number of visitors can be maximized. Ashantilly Center Inc., Facebook Page Darien Fall Festival Ashantilly Churn Off www.cityofdarienga.com Blessing Of The Fleet Data based on calendars from Mcintosh Co. Chamber of Commerce and from Ashantilly Center Inc. Ashantilly Center Inc., Facebook Page www.americathebeautiful.com Regional Trail Connections Within close proximity to The Ashantilly Center, there are three regional trail systems. These trails, all part of a larger network, convey thousands of people along the coast every year on multiple forms of transportation. This provides a unique opportunity to connect with these trails and draw in visitors. SOUTHEAST COAST PADDLING TRAIL This series of saltwater paddling trails stretches for over 800 miles up the Atlantic coast from Florida to Virginia and provides a path for adventurous kayakers and canoers. Travelers typically embark on multi-day journeys, stopping to camp at designated spots along the way. COASTAL GEORGIA GREENWAY This 450 mile trail system provides passage along the entire Georgia coast for travelers on foot, bicycle, or horseback. It connects Florida to South Carolina and it connects to the larger East Coast Greenway system. COLONIAL COAST BIRDING TRAIL This trail, along existing roadways, connects local historic sites and designated birding areas. Over 300 species of birds can be spotted along the trail throughout the year. This trail celebrates Georgia’s native coastal habitat and local cultures. Site Inventory Existing Site Conditions Vegetation Cover Initial Concepts Ashantilly Entrance Gate View of Entrance Gate 7KHSURSRVHGJDWHZDOOVDUHFRQVWUXFWHGXVLQJFRQFUHWHPDVRQU\XQLW blocks and are coated with a crushed tabby shell stucco reminiscent of the house and other historical structures on the Georgia coast. Guests are welcomed to the site with a new and improved entrance. A new sign set on an island attracts SDVVHUVE\DQGGLUHFWVWUDɤFWKURXJKWKHJDWHV7KHJDWH structures take the form of two gently curving walls on either side of the driveway with locally made iron gates for security. Guest Parking There are three proposed parking areas for the Ashantilly Center. The main parking lot is centrally located and is constructed of porous FRQFUHWHLQRUGHUWRLQ¿OWUDWHUDLQZDWHULQWRWKHJURXQG7KHVHFRQG parking option is a crushed shell aggregate lot that can be used as RYHUÀRZSDUNLQJLQODUJHUHYHQWV7KLVORWLVORFDWHGEHKLQGWKH Spalding Garden. The last parking area is another crushed shell lot mainly for buses and larger vehicles. This lot is located along the road near the exit only gate. Detail Site Plan View of Event Barn Section of Spalding Garden