Daniel McDonald
The Old Capitol Building will come alive this Saturday with a birthday party for the State of Georgia.
Georgia’s Old Capitol Museum is celebrating Georgia Day a week early this weekend with a fun, free, family-oriented afternoon that includes complimentary admission to the museum and the temporary exhibit “Duty, Honor, Country,” commemorating the history of Georgia Military College. Gen. James Oglethorpe will be on hand to greet visitors and talk about the history of the state he founded Feb. 12, 1733. And to cap off the Georgia Day celebration, a reception will be held including drinks, refreshments, cookies and a cake in the shape of the Peach State.
“This is a great opportunity for families to visit the museum and learn about Georgia history,” Georgia’s Old Capitol Museum Executive Director Amy Wright said.
Georgia Day is celebrated every Feb. 12 to commemorate the day in 1733 when Gen. James Oglethorpe crossed the Savannah River from South Carolina with a group of colonists, South Carolina militia and African-American slaves and began the settlement of Savannah at Yamacraw Bluff.
Wright said local historian, and former Georgia history teacher, David Wells will don Oglethorpe’s red British officers’ uniform to help interpret Georgia history for visitors.
And Wright added that visitors can see a sneak peek of the museum’s forthcoming activity room, which was made possible by a grant from the Community Foundation of Central Georgia. The activity room will be a place for local civic groups to hold meetings or host lunches and activities.
Wright encouraged people to come out to celebrate the Empire State of the South with Georgia’s Old Capital Museum this Saturday regardless of whether they have visited the museum before.
The Georgia Day celebration will take place between noon and 4 p.m. tomorrow.
“We’re very grateful to Georgia Military College for allowing the museum to occupy this space on the ground floor the historic Old Capitol Building where Georgia history was made when Milledgeville was the state capital between the years 1803 and 1868,” Wright said.
