Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation

The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation is a statewide nonprofit preservation organization headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in April 1973 by a group of preservation advocates that included Mary Gregory Jewett, it works to protect and reinvigorate the state’s historic buildings, landscapes, archaeological resources, neighborhoods, and cultural places. Its stated public purpose is to preserve and enhance Georgia’s communities and their diverse historic resources for education and enjoyment. The Trust operates through a combination of advocacy, technical assistance, public education, property stewardship, and community partnerships. It advocates for public funding, tax incentives, preservation laws, and planning policies that support the continued use of historic resources. It also helps communities and property owners identify practical preservation tools, pursue rehabilitation, and connect endangered properties with potential buyers or development partners. A central part of this work is the Revolving Fund, which can assist with endangered properties by helping acquire or reposition them and by seeking purchasers capable of preserving their historic character. This approach treats preservation as both a cultural objective and a community-development strategy: historically significant properties are more likely to survive when they have viable owners, sustainable uses, and access to rehabilitation resources. The organization has also supported neighborhood revitalization and design assistance. Since 1984, it has provided assistance to 105 Georgia Main Street communities, helping local groups address downtown design, historic buildings, reuse, and broader revitalization goals. The Trust works with Georgia’s State Historic Preservation Office within the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, although it remains a separate nonprofit organization. The Trust is a steward and operator of historic house museums, including Hay House in Macon, an elaborate nineteenth-century residence completed in 1859, and Rhodes Hall in Atlanta, completed in 1904. These properties provide public-facing examples of architectural conservation, interpretation, and historic-site management. Its most widely recognized public program is Places in Peril, an annual initiative launched in 2006. The program identifies ten historically important Georgia places each year that face threats such as demolition, deterioration, loss of historic integrity, or inappropriate public policy and development. Selection generally requires that a property be listed, or eligible for listing, in the National Register of Historic Places or the Georgia Register of Historic Places, face a serious threat, and have demonstrable community support. The program is intended to generate attention, mobilize local advocates, and encourage owners, governments, and partner organizations to pursue preservation solutions. By the 1980s, the Georgia Trust had become the largest statewide preservation organization in the United States. Its activities span historic-property advocacy, technical guidance, education, museum operations, endangered-site identification, public programming, and policy engagement. It is not a conventional commercial brand: its public identity is built around statewide preservation expertise, civic advocacy, and the stewardship of Georgia’s diverse historic resources.

The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation was founded in April 1973 by a group of advocates concerned with the protection of Georgia’s historic resources. Mary Gregory Jewett is identified among the organization’s founding participants. From its beginning, the Trust was organized as a statewide nonprofit rather than as a preservation group limited to a single city or property type. Its remit covers historic architecture, archaeological sites, cultural landscapes, neighborhoods, and other resources that contribute to the understanding and identity of Georgia communities. During its early development, the Trust established a role that combined public advocacy with practical preservation work. It encouraged government funding, tax incentives, and legal protections for historic resources, while also helping owners and communities identify ways to rehabilitate and reuse older buildings. By the 1980s, it had become the largest statewide preservation organization in the United States. Its work expanded beyond individual landmarks to include downtown revitalization, neighborhood conservation, design guidance, and cooperation with public preservation agencies. Since 1984, the Trust has provided design assistance and related support to 105 Georgia Main Street cities. This work connected historic preservation with economic and community development. Rather than treating historic buildings as isolated monuments, the organization’s Main Street activity has emphasized the continued use of historic commercial districts and the improvement of local design, planning, and revitalization practices. The Trust also developed property-based tools for endangered resources. Through its Revolving Fund, it has helped acquire or reposition threatened historic properties and has sought buyers who could preserve and reuse them. The fund’s model recognizes that legal designation alone may not protect a building: properties also need viable ownership, financing, maintenance, and an appropriate new use. The Trust has therefore worked as an intermediary between preservation goals and the practical realities of property markets and community redevelopment. The organization maintains a relationship with Georgia’s State Historic Preservation Office, which operates within the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. This relationship supports coordination on preservation policy, technical knowledge, and public programs, while the Georgia Trust continues to operate as an independent nonprofit advocate and service organization. The Trust’s stewardship role includes the operation of two prominent historic house museums. Hay House in Macon was completed in 1859 and represents an important example of nineteenth-century residential architecture and interior design. Rhodes Hall in Atlanta was completed in 1904 and is another major historic house under the Trust’s care. Through these properties, the organization presents preservation as a public educational activity as well as a conservation obligation. In 2006, the Georgia Trust introduced Places in Peril, which became its best-known recurring public program. The initiative publishes an annual list of ten Georgia places facing serious threats. Candidate properties must generally be listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or the Georgia Register of Historic Places, be at risk from demolition, deterioration, or insensitive policy or development, and have evidence of community interest and support. The list is designed to focus public attention and encourage owners, communities, governments, and partner organizations to apply preservation tools before a resource is lost. Places in Peril has covered a wide range of resources, including commercial districts, schools, churches, courthouses, industrial sites, archaeological landscapes, African American heritage sites, transportation facilities, cemeteries, and historic residences. Examples from different years include the Auburn Avenue Commercial District in Atlanta, Central State Hospital in Milledgeville, Dorchester Academy in Midway, the Atlanta Central Library, Fountain Hall, the Chattahoochee Brick Company site, and the Atlanta Constitution Building. The program’s breadth reflects the Trust’s interest in both well-known landmarks and places tied to underrepresented communities and local history. The Trust remains an active statewide preservation organization whose activities combine policy advocacy, public education, professional assistance, museum operations, property intervention, and community organizing. Its continuing challenge is to translate public recognition of historic significance into durable ownership, funding, maintenance, and compatible use for threatened resources across Georgia.

• 2006

  Places in Peril launched

  [1]Georgia Trust for Historic Preservationen.wikipedia.org

  The Trust began publishing an annual list of ten endangered Georgia historic places, creating a recurring statewide advocacy and awareness program.

• 1984

  Main Street design assistance begins

  [1]Georgia Trust for Historic Preservationen.wikipedia.org

  The Trust began providing design assistance and related support to Georgia Main Street communities; the program has subsequently served 105 cities.

• 1980

  Recognition as the largest statewide preservation organization

  [1]Georgia Trust for Historic Preservationen.wikipedia.org

  By the 1980s, the Trust had become the largest statewide historic preservation organization in the United States.

• 1973

  Organization founded

  [1]Georgia Trust for Historic Preservationen.wikipedia.org

  The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation was established in April by a group of preservation advocates including Mary Gregory Jewett.

A statewide nonprofit preservation authority that combines advocacy, technical assistance, endangered-property intervention, community revitalization, and historic-house museum stewardship.

• Endangered-site advocacy program · 2006

  Places in Peril

  An annual program identifying ten Georgia historic, archaeological, and cultural resources at serious risk. Selection considers historic-register status or eligibility, the severity of threats such as demolition or deterioration, and evidence of community commitment. The program seeks to attract attention, partnerships, preservation funding, and viable reuse solutions rather than merely documenting threatened sites.

• Historic-property intervention

  Revolving Fund

  A preservation mechanism used to help address endangered properties. The Trust can assist with acquiring or repositioning threatened resources and finding buyers prepared to preserve them. Its purpose is to connect historic significance with sustainable ownership, rehabilitation, and reuse.

• Historic house museum

  Hay House

  A historic house museum in Macon occupying a residence completed in 1859. Operated by the Georgia Trust, it serves as a preserved architectural resource and an educational venue for interpreting nineteenth-century domestic design, construction, and material culture.

• Historic house museum

  Rhodes Hall

  A historic house museum in Atlanta completed in 1904. The property is operated and interpreted by the Georgia Trust as part of its broader stewardship, education, and public-engagement work.

• Community revitalization service · 1984

  Georgia Main Street assistance

  Design and preservation assistance for Georgia Main Street communities. The service supports downtown revitalization, compatible design, historic-building reuse, and local preservation planning. Since 1984, the Trust has assisted 105 Georgia Main Street cities.

• 2006Places in Peril

  Georgia, United States

  A recurring statewide campaign that publicizes ten endangered historic places each year and encourages communities, owners, public agencies, and preservation partners to develop practical protection and reuse strategies.

  Outcome. The program became the Trust’s best-known public initiative and has documented hundreds of threatened resources over successive annual lists.

  Source

1. 1Georgia Trust for Historic Preservationen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation official websitegeorgiatrust.org