HISTORY PROGRAMS
APRIL 2023
April 18th
6:00pm
JC Historical Society
Program in partnership with the Spruill-Oaks Library
"Before We Arrived" A brief history of Johns Creek, GA
April 19th
5:30-7:30pm
Student Leadership Johns Creek "Same Storm, Different Boats" Exhibit
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We're a 501(c3) nonprofit all-volunteer organization dependent on memberships and donations to cover operations, programs, archival supplies, research materials, and other costs to make sure Johns Creek history is not lost.

Priority is given to members for history programs, activities, and events with limited attendance.

Join Now for 2023

HELP GROW THE JOHNS CREEK HISTORY ARCHIVES

We are actively collecting items to add to our history archives and research library for Johns Creek.

If you have items or documents that will help record or tell the stories of life in the Johns Creek area during earlier times, please let us know. We will make digital copies for the archives, if you want to retain your originals.

Please contact us at info@johnscreekhistory.org

In-person outreach programming, where we bring a history presentation to your community group or business, is available on a variety of topics of local history.



Johns Creek History

NEXT JC HISTORICAL SOCIETY PROGRAM

"Before We Arrived"

at Northeast/Spruill-Oaks Library
9560 Spruill Road
Johns Creek, GA 30022

Free and open to the public

Would you like to know more about the history of Johns Creek?
In partnership with the Spruill-Oaks Library, we'll present a fast-moving overview of local history that includes lots of photos, graphics, and maps to help the audience imagine the landscape of the Johns Creek area, its events, and residents from the time this was part of the Cherokee Nation to the advent of modern- day development.

Students' Leadership Project will exhibit the COVID experience in Johns Creek

"Same Storm, Different Boats" Exhibit

at Northview High School
April 19, 2023
5:30-7:30 pm
Free and open to the public

Capturing History of Our Time: Students of Student Leadership Johns Creek (SLJC) have captured some history of our time by collecting records and oral accounts of the response and impact of the COVID pandemic in our area. Titled "Same Storm, Different Boats", their research will be presented as an exhibit at Northview High School on April 19th, then housed at Ocee Library to be available for exhibit by schools or community groups. The full set of records collected, far beyond what could be included in the exhibit, will be placed in the Johns Creek Historical Society archives to document a significant event in Johns Creek history and will be available for future research.

Students worked on the "Same Storm, Different Boats" project under the direction of SLJC Executive Director Irene Sanders and Mercer University Assistant Professor Dr. Katherine Perrotta with funding provided by a $25,000 grant from the Library of Congress/Waynesburg University program. Mercer University also awarded a $4000 grant for the project. The Johns Creek Historical Society and the Gotham Center for New York City History also helped with the students' research.

Read the AJC March 19th article about the students' project
More information about the project at studentleadershipjohnscreek.com

Descendants of Sam Jones meet at Macedonia Cemetery

Above: Sabrina Aquell, organizer of the gathering, and Carla Carter, Johns Creek Historical Society member who has researched the people buried at Macedonia, presented information about Sam Jones and his ancestors.

February 18, 2023: Johns Creek Historical Society members Carla Carter and Joan Compton were invited to speak to descendants of Sam Jones about their ancestors, history of the cemetery, the church, and to share the historical society's extensive research to discover records of those buried at the site, their relationships to each other, and stories of their lives.

Read more about the gathering of the Sam Jones descendants in Honoring, Reclaiming History. Macedonia Cemetery descendants remember dead, look ahead. Amber Perry, Johns Creek Herald. February 23, 2023

Johns Creek Historical Society part of Appen Media's Preserving History Podcasts

Above: Craig Kidd (right) interviews the presidents of the Milton and Johns Creek Historical Societies, Jeff Dufresne and Joan Compton, for their podcast that aired January 2nd.

Podcast posted January 2, 2023:
Usually focused on politics under the Gold Dome and around the state, The Georgia Politics Podcast with Craig Kidd recorded two installments of special "local history" episodes highlighting the history and preservation efforts of Roswell, Alpharetta, Milton, and Johns Creek. We hope you'll enjoy the program (maybe leave a comment if you do), and become curious about what this area was like before we arrived. Let us know if you'd like to help in discovering, preserving, and sharing the the fascinating history of where you live, work, and play.

Our thanks to Appen Media (publisher of the Herald newspapers), Craig Kidd, and Hans Appen for providing their podcast platform to bring awareness of North Fulton history to a new audience.

Listen to Preserving History - Milton & Johns Creek podcast
Listen to Preserving History - Alpharetta & Roswell podcast
Listen to The Georgia Politics podcast of weekly podcasts covering topics of local, regional, and state politics.

Special program held at the William Rogers house

October 23, 2022: Our thanks to the Rogers descendants for allowing us to hold a meeting at the historic 1839 William Rogers house. The October 23rd program included a discussion of the Johns Rogers and Sarah Cordrey Cherokee family, with a focus on their 2nd son William who held leadership positions in the Cherokee Nation and represented the Cherokee in negotiating with the U.S. for Cherokee land rights. We were also fortunate to have a grandson of William Wilson (owner of the house in the 1940s), share memories of visiting the house and farm as a child.

After pointing out features of the historic home and attendees touring the house and grounds, we visited the Rogers-Bell cemetery where Johns Rogers, his wife Sarah, and many of their descendants are buried.

There are very few historic structures left in Johns Creek and the William Rogers "Oakland" home is a treasure, rich in stories of its residents and association with this area's Cherokee past. Our thanks to the Rogers descendants and William Wilson for their part in caring for this important historic home and property so it still stands today.

Local restaurant showcases Johns Creek's past and present

Images of Johns Creek displayed at Another Broken Egg
Next time you are in the Another Broken Egg restaurant (the location at Johns Creek Walk on Medlock Bridge Rd), take a look at the photos displayed. The Johns Creek Historical Society, JC Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Autrey Mill shared photos to be used to decorate the restaurant's walls with iconic images of Johns Creek, from the past and today.  The black & white photos are beautifully reproduced and artistically  displayed, creating a gallery-like exhibit and destination unique to Johns Creek.

Special Thanks for Donations in 2022


$1,000 from Commissioner Liz Hausmann. The Johns Creek Historical Society is honored to have received $1,000 support from Fulton County Commissioner Liz Hausmann. Our thanks to Commissioner Hausmann for this support, her leadership as a multi-term County Commissioner, and her continued understanding of the importance of preserving history.

$2,500 from Johns Creek Advantage. Our thanks to the Directors of the Johns Creek Economic Development Corporation (DBA Johns Creek Advantage) for their contribution of $2500. We are honored by their support and recognition of the economic impact the Johns Creek Historical Society provides to the City of Johns Creek.


In Case You Missed It . . .

City recognized Macy McKenzie for work at Macedonia Cemetery, October 3, 2022

Wreaths Across America ceremony at Macedonia Cemetery, Toney Howell who served in WWI was honored December 17, 2022

Neighborhood history - Country Club of the South Resident of Country Club of the South researched the history of her neighborhood's land

Artist and public art piece commissioned to utilize steel salvage from the historic Rogers Bridge
A Johns Creek Country Club community had their original club house and sales center in a cattle barn
History archives
Adding to our history archives with research and with donations
Filming descendants of the Rogers, Bells, and Taylor families
Charles Summerour's Book includes history of farms in Johns Creek
Outdoor history classes for children during COVID
4 Macedonia films-a project of Mercer University, Student Leadership JC, and the JC Historical Society