Center of mural depicts the Sub-Continental Divide, which separates water flowing from Atlanta toward the Gulf of Mexico in Apalachicola, FL and water flowing to the Atlantic at Darien, GA. Dekalb Avenue, the railroad tracks, MARTA tracks (public transit), and an old Indian trail also followed this ridge, roughly an east/west line between downtown Atlanta and downtown Decatur. This sense of place described above depicted in the center of mural. (show Capitol bldg and downtown Decatur?)
Depict sense of watershed shape or flow of rivers if possible. (South R. into Ocmulgee R. into Altamaha River to Atlantic Ocean at Darien, GA) and (Chatahoochee R. joining with Flint R. flowing into the Apalachicola and flowing into the Gulf at Apalachicola).
Would like to depict this flow of water from the Sub-continental Divide in each direction. Orthographic map?
Watershed and trees the major themes (urban forestry grant gives us most of our $ and we’ve done workshops about the connections between water, trees, and soil within watersheds). Based on grant, must show the root system of a large tree (conveying idea that trees need space to grow, the roots need water, help hold soil in place and prevent erosion, etc.) Arborists say fine roots can extend 2-4 times the distance of the tree’s branches; 90% of roots in upper 3’ of soil, 75% in upper 1 foot.
Would like to feature large White oak and its canopy centrally. Perhaps with canopy extending above mural wall. Could feature other trees or large leaves native to Atlanta area – White oak, best for “king” of Atlanta forest. American beech beautiful for its smooth bark, brilliant green leaves. Contrast interesting leaves of the native trees: beech, white oak, tulip poplar, sweet gum, hickory.
Would like to use trees of various regions throughout, recurrent verticals? Contrasting leaves, bark, habits?
Droplets or circles of water?
Feature the natural “infrastructure” and flora and fauna, making distinctions between Atlantic and Gulf whenever possible, though many aspects very similar.
Feature some photos from local old growth forest (kids, volunteers working in forest)
Local rare trillium plant.
White ibis
Prothontory warbler
gators
Great blue heron
Yellow crown heron
Osprey (have pic in tall dead tree with sunset)
Raccoon
fox
deer
Barred owl
Black bears (found in Oaky Woods near Warner Robbins in middle Georgia)
Sea turtle (babies?)
Swamp pics – such as those along ocmulgee
Spider lily (have pic)
Trumpet vine
Big cypress trees
Black willows
Ogeechee lime tree
Live oak hammock
Sawtooth palmetto
Shrimp boat yard/Darien docks
People canoeing
Marshes
Fishers in salt marsh
Beaches (with waves as opposed to Gulf)
Manatee in ocean
Oyster tongers in bay
Covered bridge
Horace King (see notes below)
Grist mill
Person on rope swing over river in cut-offs (have pic from newspaper)
Woodpeckers
Long leaf pine
Possum
Cat fish
Great horned owl
Water tupelo
Scrub oak
Live oak
Big turtles
Bald eagle
Fishers on docks or boats
Monarch butterflies (Apalachicola bay is on migration route, perhaps a flock)
Dolphins in gulf
Old store fronts or bridge or “Boss Oyster” in Apalachicola
Someone in canoe or on raft (have some pics in canoe)
Sandpipers
Seagulls
Crabs
Small colorful migratory birds, summer tanagers, indigo bunting
Horace King (1807 – 1885)
Horace King was the most respected bridge builder in west Georgia, Alabama, and northeast Mississippi from the 1830s until the 1880s. He constructed massive town lattice truss bridges over nearly every major river from the Oconee in Georgia to the Tombigbee in Mississippi and at nearly every crossing of the Chattahoochee River from Carroll County to Fort Gaines.
Born as a slave of African, European, and Native American (Catawba) ancestry in Chesterfield District, South Carolina, King moved with his master, John Godwin (1798-1859), a contractor, to Girard, Alabama, a suburb of Columbus, Georgia, where Godwin had the contract to build the first public bridge connecting those two states. King probably planned the construction and directed the slaves who erected that span. Godwin apparently realized King's intuitive genius as a builder and nurtured those skills. During the early 1840s King served as superintendent and architect of major bridges at Wetumpka, Alabama, and Columbus, Mississippi, without Godwin's supervision.
John Godwin allowed King and his other slaves a great degree of freedom, and in 1846 he freed King, perhaps to protect this valuable asset from his creditors. King might have simply bought his freedom, but the relationship between the former master and slave remained the same. After Godwin's death in 1859, King erected a monument over his grave that declared "the love and gratitude he felt for his lost friend and former master."
Before the end of his life, King was even known as a political figure, having served in the post-Civil War Alabama Legislature as a state representative from Russell County (1868-1872). hpd.dnr.state.ga.us/assets/documents/ Reflections/Reflections_March_2003