Carnival Reminder...

Isn’t the new look here at Georgia On My Mind great!

Many, many thanks to a wonderful Georgia blogger, Susie at Bluebird Blogs, who designed my new look here and over at History Is Elementary. It’s absolutely the best “teacher gift” I’ve ever received.

The next Georgia Blog Carnival will be posted sometime Friday, October 26th over at Radical Georgia Moderate.

You can submit a post from another blog you think is interesting, timely, or exceptional in some way, or submit one of your own.

Posts can be sent to gamind@mail.com or use the handy submission form. Submissions are due October 25th by 6:00 p.m.

Thanks for supporting the Georgia Carnival. It's a great way to advertise your blog!

Please accept my many thanks to those of you who mentioned the last carnival at your site. This helps readers inside and outside the state of Georgia to find YOUR blog to read and enjoy.

Let me know if you would like to host the carnival at some point at your site.

Mind the teacher now…and get those submissions in!

Georgia's Ancient Inhabitants

When most of us think upon the original inhabitants of Georgia we think about the Cherokees, Creeks, the Chickasaws, and the Choctaw civilizations, but the archeological record points to civilizations that thrived before the tribes we are most familiar with. In fact, Native Americans have lived on Georgia soil for more than 12,000 years including the Hopewell and Adena cultures.

Ocmulgee isn’t just a name for a Georgia river, and it is much more than an Indian word meaning “where they sat down”. The word represents a prehistoric Indian town near what is today Macon, Georgia that represents the Mississippian culture or the Moundbuilders. The Mississippian culture receives its name from the fact that so many of its towns and villages were located through the Mississippi River Valley.

The Ocmulgee site contains at least seven mounds including the earth lodge I pictured above. These mounds were not built all at once but over several hundred years. Many of the Georgia settlements of the Mississippian culture were located in flood plains where the rich soil provided corn, beans, and squash. The technological advent of crop rotation helped to lead to a food surplus leaving natives to explore the establishment of permanent towns. Later a system of trade was established from village to village using various waterways to travel.

Art and religion also became more and more elaborate. Most towns were built around a ceremonial square or plaza surrounded by flat-topped mounds contained dwellings for priests and other officials. The more common citizens lived in earth lodges and your place in society was determined by how close your lodge was to the ceremonial plaza.

Prior to any European stepping foot on Georgia soil the Mississippian Culture began to decline and the remnants helped to give birth to those tribes Georgians are more familiar today

The National Park Service’s site for Ocmulgee is a great resource for learning on your own and there is a detailed history here at the Lost Worlds website.

Etowah Mounds, located in Cartersville, is also a great state park to visit to learn more about the Mississippian Culture. Park officials at Etowah Mounds boast having the most intact example of Mississippian culture. The park’s website is located here.

More Blogroll Additions

The following sites have been added to the blogroll here at Georgia On My Mind:

Holy shit! We're Getting Hitched is the journal of a tall Midwestern girl working for progressive politics in our red state, and she’s wanting to remember every detail during the year leading up to her marriage. Join her journey.

I found Paw Paw Bill via SpaceyG's site and it’s a wonderful find. Entertaining, thought provoking in that his thoughts often remind me of another time growing up in Georgia, and I can’t wait to go back and read some more.

Georgia Tech Sports Blog is a group blog covering….What else? Georgia Tech Sports!

Where Do We Go From Here? This blog author muses about sports and some thoughts on family and politics and occaisionally refers to his business blog Event Streams, also being added to the Georgia blogroll today. Event Streams enhances business communications through video on the web.

Public Journalism Network is a virtual global network of journalist, educators, and lay people interested in exploring and strengthening the relationship between journalism and democracy.

A Few Good Pens---this is a great read on all sorts of topics from an IT person and historical studies major. Oakland Cemetary has been on the mind of several Georgia bloggers lately including the author of A Few Good Pens. Check out the recent snapshots made at Atlanta’s cemetery.

Do you know of some great blogs I’m missing? Feel free to email me their URL.

Don’t forget the Georgia Carnival…The current edition can be seen here

The next edition will post next Friday, October 26th over at Radical Georgia Moderate.

Forward your submissions to gamind@mail.com or use the handy submission form!

Pray For Rain!

Georgia Carnival: Edition 20

Welcome to the 20th edition of the Georgia Carnival. Please support these fine Georgia bloggers by letting them know you have visited them with a comment. Your continued support with your links and shout-outs at your site helps to alert others to what we Georgia bloggers have to offer.

The next carnival will be hosted over at Radical Georgia Moderate two weeks from today.

If you would like to host the carnival at your site e-mail me to set up a date. It’s a great way to put your own personal spin on the carnival. The last edition of the Georgia carnival can be found here, and the carnival archives are found here.

Now… on to the highlights of Georgia blogging during the past two weeks:

Children and Education

Have you been around any teens lately? Momnesia has, and she wants to know who these kids are.

Autism….everyone has a different idea regarding what it means. The Principal’s Office discovered an entirely new use for the word autistic. I’m Not Hannah expresses frustration at Jenny McCarthy and other celeb mom’s dealing with austism and discusses Apergers. Can it be a synonym for Autism?

Best Practices in Education wants to know if you’ve heard about Georgia’s School Voucher program. Well, the Sky Hasn't Fallen.....Yet.

A Typical Joe takes a look at the abstinence versus “frank conversation” issue. Joe states Damnable Hypocrites Doom Our Youth with yet another abstinence campaign.

Politics and the Issues

Georgia Politics Unfilitered is excited because Hillary Clinton will be in Atlanta TODAY while JasonPye.com explores Hillary, the Neo-con. A Typical Joe advises Hillary's No Polarizer.

Did you know Presidential candidate Bill Richardson was in Georgia October 5th? I didn’t, but Shelbinator did. This is further proof that our Georgia blogs are doing a great job in covering local events and news. Shelbinator shares Bill Richardson Brings Mi Familia to Georgia. It seems Richardson was a bit lonely at The Varsity.

We all should realize when people read something we wrote or overhear something we said we actually inspire others to discuss or write their own take on things. Discourse….it is a wonderful thing. I’m sure that when Presidential candidate John McCain discussed America and its moniker as a “Christian nation” he did not realize the roads some bloggers might travel down in response. Another History Blog provides more background regarding “claptrap” and “bunk” for us with Another Word for Claptrap.

Yes, there is some debate regarding the “Christian nation” status. Here’s the next question …Christian Warriors? Do they still exisit? Special Kind of Stupid thinks so.

Should the Bible Be Taught as Literature? Got Bible asks the question.

More on the mortage crisis….Red Clay Commerce educates us regarding Full Disclosure at WAMU.

S-CHIP has been a major issue in the news lately and Organize the South, a new link on the blogroll here at Georgia On My Mind, sent a letter to Phil Gingrey about overriding the veto. After receiving a response, here is a conclusion drawn by the blog author, Organizer Dan.

Georgia Politics Unfiltered provides the scoop regarding Saxby Chambliss and his take on S-CHIP in Peachcare Vote Continues to Dog Chambliss

Diversions

When is the last time you visited The Wren’s Nest? I believe I was around nine or ten. Apparently it isn’t just for children anymore. Not only do they have after hours events with dancing they have also advanced into the world of blogging. Enjoy this blog entry titled Err, Of Course We Didn't Forget.

Grasping for the Wind always provides the most interesting reads. Recently he advised Covenant College has published an anthology of their literary magazine going back some thirty years. Wow, the best of…..

It was Shakespeare that said “all the world’s a stage”, however it took Provocative Church to connect the world stage to Facebook and the Constantly Evolving Narrative. This is a GREAT post. Here’s a smidge….”Why did Facebook become so popular? Facebook became popular because it provided a stage. Each of our lives is a narrative. We are desirous to not only open and share that narrative to others, but we like to voyeuristically peek into the windows of one another’s lives.”

The second issue of Moonshine is available for your pleasure. It includes a spicey new story from Jasmine Rizer and inspirational poetry from Brenda L Bouché Basham. Katie Bunschoten explores the work of Kentucky Batik artist, Kay Knigga, while Drék Davis chats up a Georgia arts educator. Amber Moore finds some lush and cozy fashions by Alabama artists and explores inspirational getaways. Check in with studio views from artists, a Short Girl comix, and more. Work from the new Southerncreativity gallery (@ Flickr), art annoucements & calls for entries, and a video interview with Rene Shoemaker (part of a creativity series). Are you a creative writer or artist? The editors of Moonshine are still looking for more great talent. Drop Robin a line at robinart.com@gmail.com if interested.

Speaking of writing…..Traveling Stories Magazine is sponsoring a new writing contest. The winner receives $125!

Our next carnival host, Rusty, is also heavily involved with Georgia Podcast Network. Ever wonder what Atlanta was like in the 70s? Click through and you’ll hear all about it as Rusty and photographer, Boyd Lewis, discuss Atlanta and several other topics. Mr. Lewis is currently featured in an exhibit at Mason Murer Fine Art. The interview seemed to touch a nerve with some people, including a commenter on SpaceyG's blog.

Ashes and Glass provided us with a view of Oakland Cemetery in the last edition of the carnival. Here are some of her pictures.... I’m so glad she got so many of the trees and plants. Sara Salmongirl’s original submission prompted me to go ahead and write about Oakland. I had been meaning to for a long time. You might have missed it. Check out my take on Oakland Cemetery in Living Among the Dead.

Many thanks to Sherry for submitting a post from Where Do We Go From Here regarding the recent two day event in Atlanta for breast cancer awareness.

Satellite TV….don’t you just love it? Satellite TV Guru provides How to Get Better Reception and How to Watch Satellite TV Online.

Every Wednesday over at History Is Elementary I post some sort of historical image and ask readers to identify it. For the last two weeks our own GriftDrift has received the gold star for correctly identifying the image and how I will relate the image to my explanation post. Here is my explantion regarding an image of the Alhambra in Spain to American history and literature called Washington Slept Here. GriftDrift was dead-on with his answer.

The next edition of the carnival will be found at Radical Georgia Moderate on October 26th. Posts can be sent to gamind@mail.com or use the handy submission form. Submissions are due October 25th by 6:00 p.m.

Thanks for your continued support of the Georgia Carnival!

Submission Reminder....

The next Georgia Blog Carnival will be posted sometime tomorrow right here at Georgia On My Mind.

You can submit a post from another blog you think is interesting, timely, or exceptional in some way, or submit one of your own.

I’ve extended the submission deadline until tomorrow at 12 noon. Use the carnival submission form or send the permalink to gamind@mail.com.

Thanks for supporting the Georgia Carnival. It's a great way to advertise your blog!

Living Among the Dead

Oakland Cemetery---one of the quietest spots in downtown Atlanta yet full of living people during waking hours. During non-waking hours, well, who knows......

Six acres was set aside in 1850 for a quiet resting place for Atlantans known then as City Burial Place. Today the cemetery consists of 88 acres, and it is estimated over 70,000 people have been buried there. It is considered to be one of Atlanta’s largest greenspace areas, and green it is. In keeping with the characteristics of a Victorian cemetery the original citizens who owned plots and regularly visited deceased family members took great care to contruct a beautiful garden setting that is maintained today mainly by volunteer efforts.

The original six acres is very important to the city because it is the one spot in Atlanta that basically has not changed since the city burned in 1864.

This past Sunday Oakland held one of its annual events---a Victorian Street Festival. The festival is a fitting activity for Oakland because during the Victorian Era cemeteries were looked on as places that should be enjoyed by the living.

People used to take carriage rides and picnic among the gravestones and mausoleums and walk among the fancy ironwork fences so popular in Victorian Era cemeteries. However, you won’t find the ironwork at Oakland even though at one time there was quite a bit. It seems that during World War I, in a show of patriotism, the city of Atlanta removed all of the ironwork and donated it for the war effort.

Today people still visit for picnics, photography opportunities, and maybe even a game of Frisbee in Potter’s Field where there are no headstones to trip you up.

Looking at the layout of the cemetery it is easy to formulate facts and opinions regarding the evolution of Atlanta’s social history. There are distinct Caucasion, Jewish, and African American sections.

The Jewish section has been added onto like some of the other sections over the years and each section has its own little tale to tell. One part of the Jewish section dates from a time when Atlanta had a high number of Jewish immigrants. Due to their circumstances in their original country they wanted to preserve each inch of the land they could so this is why today you will find a part of the Jewish section with no walkways. The headstones are so close together there is simply no room to walk.

Another section, Potter’s Field, possible contains the remains of more than 17,000 people. Traditionally with a name like Potter’s Field you would expect to have only indigent people buried there. However, once all the lots were gone Atlantans still wanted to be buried at Oakland, and were willing to go to an unmarked grave by choice simply to have the privilege of resting within its confines.

The Confederate Section contains over 7,000 soldiers----3,000 of them are unknown and are guarded by the "Lion of Atlanta" marker. Seven members of Andrew’s Raiders made famous due to the Great Locamotive Chase rested for a time at Oakland, but were eventually removed to National Cemetary in Chattanooga Tennessee. During the Battle of Atlanta John B. Hood actually stood on one of the high hills within Oakland’s walls and observed the battle on July 22, 1864.

One section is titled Knit Mill simply because a hosiery factory was built nearby.

Oakland is known for having some of the most unique markers and mausoleum of any cemetery in the United States. The marker for one Jasper Newton Smith is particularly unique in that it contains a life size statue of Mr. Smith. During his life Mr. Smith was a real estate investor. Have you ever been to the Peachtree MARTA station? Go to the Carnegie Way entrace and look for a cornerstone. The cornerstone is from one of the buildings Mr. Smith owned. He had directed that the cornerstone never be removed from the spot. It wasn’t even though the building known as “The House that Jack Built” was finally taken down.

The mausoleum that contains Alfred Austell, founder of the Atlanta National Bank, is known today for the expense incurred in the 1880s compared to today……One source stated the structure cost $90,000 originally while this book stated it was $16,000. Either way that is a large sum of money for the 1880s. The first source stated the structure would cost around $3 million today.

The only mausoleum found in the African American section belongs to Antoine Graves.
One of the most amazing things about Oakland is that there have been recent burials there even though the last available plot was sold in 1884. It would seem many Atlanta families have held onto their prime real estate for quiet some time. The city also retained some ownership of various plots and occaisionally allows someone to be buried at Oakland. Maynard Jackson, former mayor of Atlanta, was one of those exceptions. He is actually buried within the original six acres which is quite a testament to how Atlanta has evolved with regards to race relations. Mayor Jackson is not the only mayor interred at Oakland. He joins 23 other mayors of Atlanta and 6 different state governors.

Find out more about Oakland Cemetery here, and discover other famous Georgians who are buried there.