Public Opening of National Archives Southeast Region
Press ReleaseMarch 16, 2005
Morrow, GA . . . At 8:30 a.m. on Friday, April 1, 2005, the National Archives and Records Administration opens the doors of its new, state-of-the-art archival facility in Morrow, Georgia, to the public for the very first time. In honor of local partners, patrons, and staff, NARA and the cities of Lake City and Morrow will host a Public Opening Ceremony at 10:30 a.m. that same morning. The event will open with the raising of an American flag outside the facility; patrons and guests will then convene to the Lobby and Exhibition area for welcoming remarks by NARA officials, the Mayors of Lake City and Morrow, and a representative from the Clayton County Board of Commissioners. Lake City and Morrow will present formal proclamations designating April 2005 as "National Archives Month" in their respective cities. Light refreshments and tours of the facility will follow. This event is open to the press.
"The April 1 opening of the National Archives building in Gateway Village marks a significant advancement in just how available our nation's history is to the average citizen," comments Grant Wainscott, Director of Economic Development for the City of Morrow. "The National Archives is not just for researchers, historians and academics - where else can you view Rosa Parks' original arrest record, or make a copy of your great grandfather's draft card? The staff at NARA Southeast has just opened a public window into our past."
Once inside the facility, patrons will revel in the openness of the Lobby and Exhibition area as well as the spaciousness of dedicated research rooms for the review of archival records and microfilm holdings, comprised of significant genealogical and family history resources. Other amenities in support of future Public Programs (academic symposia, archival and records management workshops, genealogical conferences, etc.) include a 3,000 square foot Conference Center and an expansive Public Dining Room and outdoor patio. The NARA footprint also boasts an outdoor amphitheater and Visitor Learning Center (complete with an archives-themed bookstore scheduled to open in mid-July 2005).
The 115,000 square foot facility has a storage capacity of 230,000 cubic feet and will house archival records dating from 1716 to the 1980s. These records were created or received by the Federal Courts and over 115 Federal agencies, and are unique evidence of the impact of the Federal government policies and programs in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Among the subjects included in the holdings are: the Vice Admiralty Court of the Province of South Carolina, the evolution of Federal courts, Constitutional and Civil rights, the Civil War and reconstruction, economic and social development, organized crime, technology and invention, World Wars I and II, the New Deal, and space exploration. The holdings contain the stories, struggles, and accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr., Wernher Von Braun, Andrew Johnson, and the heroic common citizen.
Per James McSweeney, NARA Regional Administrator, "The new facility provides ample and appropriate storage for invaluable records that define and detail the social and cultural development of the Southeast. Our unique adjacency to and partnership with The Georgia Archives and Clayton College and State University will ensure greater public access to and awareness of this legacy."
THE PRESS IS INVITED TO COVER THE PUBLIC OPENING CEREMONY. The address is 5780 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, Georgia. Press should set up by 10:15 a.m. (Directions: I-75 South to exit 233, Morrow. Make a left onto Georgia Highway 54/Jonesboro Road and proceed approximately one mile past the main entrance to Clayton College and State University; the NARA facility will be on the right.)
For press information, please contact James McSweeney, NARA Regional Administrator - Southeast Region, at 678-358-2063, or Grant Wainscott, Director of Economic Development for the City of Morrow, at 678-758-4198.
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