The Georgia Trust's Places in Peril program seeks to identify significant historic, archeological and cultural properties that are threatened by demolition, deterioration or insensitive public policy or development, and have demonstrable level of community interest, commitment and support. The 10 Places in Peril are selected for listing based on several criteria. Sites must be listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places or the Georgia Register of Historic Places. Sites must be subject to a serious threat to their existence or historical, architectural and/or archeological integrity. There must be a demonstrable level of community commitment and support for the preservation of listed sites.

As Manager of Product Development at the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Bruce Green is a Dynamo of ideas and energy. Happily, he is also a strong advocate for historic preservation in Georgia, which he sees as an under appreciated economic engine for Georgia's Small towns and cities in our interview I asked Mr. Green his thoughts toward heritage tourism effecting tourism in general for Georgia.

The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation established the Revolving Fund for Endangered Properties Program in 1990 to provide effective alternatives to demolition or neglect of architecturally and historically significant properties by promoting their rehabilitation and enabling owners of endangered historic properties to connect with buyers who will rehabilitate their properties. The Endangered Properties Program accomplishes this goal by either accepting property donations or by purchasing options on endangered historic properties. The properties are then marketed nationally to locate buyers who agree to preserve and maintain the structures. Protective covenants are attached to the deeds to ensure that the historic integrity of each property is retained, and purchasers are required to sign rehabilitation agreements based on the work to be performed on the structure.

To Learn More about the Georgia Trust visit our Website at www.georgiatrust.org

009 Places in Peril Rock House The Story: This two-story 1780s house is constructed of twenty-four inch thick field stones and is recognized as the oldest surviving stone house in Georgia. The house was constructed by the Ansley family who received the land in 1783, fifteen years after the town of Wrightsborough was founded as the southernmost settlement of Quakers in America. The house remained privately owned until 1966, when the Wrightsborough Quaker Community Foundation purchased and restored the house with the intention of using it as a museum. The Threat: Now the house is closed, vacant and unstaffed. Located in rural McDuffie County with no occupied houses near it, there is a minimal amount of security. Vandalism and a lack of funding available for maintenance have added to the overall threat to this historic structure. The Solution: In December 2007, the Watson-Brown Foundation Junior Board issued an emergency grant for the repair of windows, historic sashes and doors, but the house and its associated Ansley Cemetery are still in need of a solid overall preservation plan that would address issues of use, maintenance and security.

Learn about Preservation Tax Incentives for Georgia with Ced Dohler, Tax Incentives Coordinator for the Georgia Historic Preservation Division

Ms. Ann Grant talks about her experiences with Fort Daniel. Ms. Grant is the current owner of the property where Fort Daniel an Archaeological site from the late 18th and early 19th century is currently being excavated. Fort Daniel is Georgia Trust 2009 Place in Peril.

Mr. Mark C. McDonald, President of The Georgia Trust speaks On February the 8, 2009 at 4pm as The Georgia Trust and Campbell Chapel celebrated their 150th congregational anniversary with a spotlight event. This event took place at the Rylander Theatre and educated the public about the significance of the structure and their fundraising needs. The Partners in the Field program has been working with members of the congregation to assess goals for a successful preservation and rehabilitation strategy.

This small township located near the Georgia-Florida line south of Thomasville, Georgia needs your help!