The courthouses of Georgia’s 159 counties hold the keys to the history of individual families and entire communities alike. From their primary role as the temples of justice for our court system to their better known function as the official repository of public records for significant life events, these buildings anchor many of Georgia’s town squares.
ACCG, Georgia’s county association, pays tribute to these recognized local landmarks in a vibrant new photography book, Courthouses of Georgia. Organized by the nine travel regions of Georgia, the book offers the perfect starting point for touring any of Georgia’s counties and instills an appreciation for historic preservation.
“Georgia’s courthouses truly are the focal point of so many of our counties and reflect that community spirit that brings people together,” said ACCG Executive Director Ross King. “We created this book as a way to celebrate these community treasures as part of our association’s centennial anniversary. We sincerely appreciate all of the partners and contributors that joined together to make our vision a reality.”
International photographer Greg Newington captured the prominence and character of these great structures with his remarkable photography and artistic vision. His images pay tribute to the community’s investment in preserving historic courthouses for future generations and celebrate new facilities designed to accommodate expanded county programs and services, keeping pace with the state’s tremendous growth.
Newington is a fine art and commercial photographer with a studio in the Serenbe Community in south Fulton County, Georgia. He was previously the director of photography for Fairfax Business Media Group in Sydney, Australia, and the photography editor for The Australian daily broadsheet. His photographs have appeared in more than three hundred publications worldwide.
“Traveling over 22,000 miles in an 18-month period for this project took me to big cities and small towns all across this state and provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see places that I might never have otherwise visited,” said Newington. “Without fail, I met interesting people who were connected to their courthouse and eager to share their stories.”
The introduction of the book was penned and compiled by former Georgia House of Representatives majority leader Larry Walker. In his unique and recognized style, Walker shares his personal memories of the Houston County courthouses. In addition, he wove together stories of other courthouses as told by recognized Georgians including Senior U.S. District Judge Hugh Lawson, former State Senator George Hooks, former State Representative Buddy DeLoach, former Governor Roy Barnes and many others.
“I am truly humbled to have been a part of this exciting project and honored that so many prominent Georgians were eager to reflect on their personal experiences in Georgia’s courthouses as part of the book’s introduction,” said Larry Walker. “This magnificent photography in this book will appeal to those who are interested in tourism, historic preservation and the architecture of our courthouses.”
The photography is accompanied by insight from University of North Georgia history professor Dr. George Justice, who accentuates the proud civic and architectural heritage of each structure by providing additional context.
Courthouses of Georgia is published by the University of Georgia Press in partnership with ACCG, Newington Photography, the State Bar of Georgia and the Georgia Humanities Council. The books are 12 x 9 inches in size and 368 pages long and include 160 color photos and 10 maps (ISBN 987-0-8203-4688-5). They are now available through the University of Georgia Press (800-266-5842), Amazon (www.amazon.com) and Barnes and Noble (barnsandnoble.com). The book is also slated to be featured on the regional new release table of Barnes and Noble stores in Georgia from Nov. 11 – 24.
Photographs from the book are also available for purchase through Newington Photography. Please visit www.newingtonphotography.com for more information.
