History comes alive through the Night at the Museum program Aug. 13

(Information and photographs courtesy the Augusta Museum of History.)

Learn about pivotal figures in Augusta’s history at the annual Night at the Museum program Aug. 13.

Two tours will be offered during the evening, beginning at 6 p.m. followed by the second at 7:30 p.m.

The Night at the Museum is an annual fundraising event benefitting the Augusta Museum of History’s preservation and exhibition efforts. The combination of theatre and museum education turns history into a personal, interactive experience, making history tangible for all ages. 

Tickets are $100 for adults and $75 for active duty or military veteran. Purchase tickets here.

Noble Jones- 1746, presented by Dr. Ben Casella. In 1736 James Oglethorpe sent Noble Jones up the Savannah River to set up a trading post and fort. Jones cleared the land, set up 40 one-acre lots with a big Broad Street right down the middle and named the spot Augusta after the new Princess of Wales. Noble will share about the humble beginnings of our city and about Georgia’s impact in the “New World”.

Lt. Col. Thomas Brown- 1780, presented by Eric Odom America just celebrated 250 years of independence and freedom but back during the Revolutionary War it wasn’t so simple. Meet Lt. Col. Thomas Brown. A wealthy farmer near Augusta with a large estate and many indentured servants. When the Sons of Liberty approached his estate, they didn’t ask him to declare his loyalty to the idea of independence, they demanded it! And when Brown refused… Well, you’ll have to be here to find out why that bandage is on his head.

Gov. John Adam Treutlen-1782, presented by Gen. Perry SmithMeet Gov. John Treutlen, an immigrant from Germany that started out his new life in America as an indentured servant. He went to school in Ebenezer, started acquiring land and took an active role in the American Revolution alongside Button Gwinnett and George Wells. And in 1777, Treutlen became the first elected Governor of the new state of Georgia. But politics were complicated in those early years just as they are today and Treutlen faced a multitude of foes.

Woman Going to the First Augusta National Invitational Tournament- 1934, presented by Rebecca Weimar.In 1930 Bobby Jones was given a ticker-tape parade in New York City as the winner of the Grand Slam, and then at the age of 28 he retired. So when it was announced that Bobby Jones would be playing at the First Augusta National Invitational Tournament in 1934, the world was watching and folks from over 38 states and Canada made their way to the beautiful city of Augusta. This is the story of one woman who traveled in on the 302 Steam Engine and has just arrived in Augusta at Union Station.

Martha Stelling at Teen Town- 1954, presented by Caroline Dial. In the 1950s, Augusta teens found a spot to listen to music, sip a soda and dance the night away. It was called Teen Town and there were multiple ones in the CSRA. The President of the Junior Woman’s Club, Mrs. Marguerite Stelling facilitated the opening of these teen hang outs, with the first being in the old Water Works off of Central Ave. You will meet her daughter, Martha Stelling who is a Senior at the Academy of Richmond County as she greets newbies after the Langford-Tubman football game in 1954.

Billy Dolan, Co-Founder of E-Z-GO- 1961. In 1954 Billy and Bev Dolan, two local brothers, saw an opportunity when they watched Mr. Bobby Jones drive around the Augusta National in a three-wheel golf cart. They took $200 and motors from B-17 Bombers to transform the cars and produce them on a mass scale. And they did it all right here in Augusta. But that’s not the end of the story, find out what happens when business giant, Textron gets involved with E-Z-GO and the Dolan brothers.

Butterfly McQueen- 1980s, presented by Tera Jackson She is instantly recognizable because of the part she played in one of the biggest movies of all time, “Gone With The Wind'”. But Augusta native Butterfly McQueen wanted to be known for more than just that one role and her sweet voice. After “Gone With The Wind”, she found out that Hollywood wasn’t interested in her classical training, comedic timing or her incredible dramatic abilities, they wanted her for one role, a maid.

Octavia Walton Le Vert- 1857,. presented by Ransom Schwerzler. Born on Aug. 11, 1811 near Augusta, Georgia, Octavia Walton, the granddaughter of Declaration of Independence signer George Walton, had her life ahead of her. She learned multiple languages, became acquainted with major figures of the day such as Henry Clay and Washington Irving, and traveled extensively in Europe where she was presented to the Pope and Queen Victoria. In 1836. she married French physician, Henry S. Le Vert and her life began to change with the births of children, the death of her brother and two daughters and then two monumental trips to Europe that inspired her popular book, “Souvenirs of Travel”.

Dr. James Edward Carter Sr. – 1917, Presented by Jay Jefferies. Let’s go back to the early 1900s. The country was segregated but one African American doctor saw no color lines. Dr. James Edward Carter Sr. traveled around the two-state area by horse drawn wagon as a dentist for anyone who needed care. He graduated from Paine College, apprenticed at a dental office at 644 Broad Street and finished his studies at Atlanta Dental College. And in 1898, he opened his own private practice on Broad Street making Dr. Carter Augusta’s first Black dentist.

1968, When Mr. James Brown Saved Boston & Made America Proud, presented by Dr. Deanna Brown Thomas. On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was fatally shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Protests and riots broke out across the nation, especially in large cities. Boston was bracing for the worst on April 5, but that day just so happened to be when Mr. James Brown was scheduled to perform in Boston. Brown together with local politicians, planned to have the concert broadcast on public television, keeping crowds at home and preventing widespread riots. But that’s just one of the incredible moments in the year 1968 when James Brown played a crucial part in America’s story.

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