Georgia Archives
Encyclopedia
The Georgia Archives is the official repository of archival
records for the U.S. state of Georgia
. Together with the Georgia Capitol Museum it forms the Georgia Division of Archives and History, part of the office of the Secretary of State of Georgia
. It is located in Morrow
, Georgia, United States. The primary purpose of the Georgia Archives is to identify which state agency records are worth preserving for hundreds of years, transfer those records to the archives, protect them, and make them available to people who need them. In addition, the archives helps state agencies and local governments manage active records and stores the inactive records of state government in the State Records Center.
On October 11, 1965 the Archives dedicated its first home built specifically to house archival collections. The 14-story marble building—known to many as “the White Ice Cube”—was hailed as the most modern archival facility in the country. The new home led to the expansion of services, including the addition of records management and microfilming services for state agencies and local governments.
In 1998 engineers determined that the White Ice Cube was sinking due to ground water and nearby interstate construction. Even as the building sank, the archives faced massive expenses to repair the aging HVAC
systems. The cost to repair and refurbish the state archives (estimated by some to be as much as $40,000,000) made new construction an attractive alternative. In April 2001, the Georgia General Assembly endorsed a public-private partnership to construct a new archival facility near Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia
, and adjacent to the Southeast Regional Branch of the National Archives (completed in 2004). Groundbreaking took place on October 30 of that year and the Archives opened its new building on May 6, 2003. Since that time the facility has been awarded design awards by the American Institute of Architects
at the state, regional, and national levels.
, land surveyors
, state and local government officials, teachers, and students.
Archive
An archive is a collection of historical records, or the physical place they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organization's lifetime, and are kept to show the function of an organization...
records for the U.S. state of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. Together with the Georgia Capitol Museum it forms the Georgia Division of Archives and History, part of the office of the Secretary of State of Georgia
Secretary of state of Georgia
The secretary of state of the U.S. state of Georgia is an elected official with a wide variety of responsibilities, including supervising elections and maintaining public records....
. It is located in Morrow
Morrow, Georgia
Morrow is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,882 at the 2000 census. It is the home of Clayton State University.-Geography:Morrow is located at ....
, Georgia, United States. The primary purpose of the Georgia Archives is to identify which state agency records are worth preserving for hundreds of years, transfer those records to the archives, protect them, and make them available to people who need them. In addition, the archives helps state agencies and local governments manage active records and stores the inactive records of state government in the State Records Center.
History and facilities
The Georgia Archives was established on August 20, 1918, after a prolonged effort on the part of the Archive's first director, Lucian Lamar Knight. The Archives occupied a balcony in the State Capitol Building for twelve years until 1930, when furniture magnate Amos Giles Rhodes left his home, “Rhodes Hall,” to the Archives.On October 11, 1965 the Archives dedicated its first home built specifically to house archival collections. The 14-story marble building—known to many as “the White Ice Cube”—was hailed as the most modern archival facility in the country. The new home led to the expansion of services, including the addition of records management and microfilming services for state agencies and local governments.
In 1998 engineers determined that the White Ice Cube was sinking due to ground water and nearby interstate construction. Even as the building sank, the archives faced massive expenses to repair the aging HVAC
HVAC
HVAC refers to technology of indoor or automotive environmental comfort. HVAC system design is a major subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, based on the principles of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer...
systems. The cost to repair and refurbish the state archives (estimated by some to be as much as $40,000,000) made new construction an attractive alternative. In April 2001, the Georgia General Assembly endorsed a public-private partnership to construct a new archival facility near Clayton State University in Morrow, Georgia
Morrow, Georgia
Morrow is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,882 at the 2000 census. It is the home of Clayton State University.-Geography:Morrow is located at ....
, and adjacent to the Southeast Regional Branch of the National Archives (completed in 2004). Groundbreaking took place on October 30 of that year and the Archives opened its new building on May 6, 2003. Since that time the facility has been awarded design awards by the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
at the state, regional, and national levels.
Collections
The Georgia Archives’ collections include the founding documents of the state, such as the Royal Charter that created the colony of Georgia in 1733 and the Ratification of the United States Constitution, the 1788 document that made Georgia a state. Important collections include the official records of Governors, from the Journal of Georgia’s first Royal Governor in 1754 to the records of the current Governor. Acts of the General Assembly also span from the acts of the first Assembly in 1755 to the present. Other collections include records of interest to genealogistsGenealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
, land surveyors
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
, state and local government officials, teachers, and students.
External links
- Georgia Archives Official Website
- Virtual Vault Portal to online images