In the ever-changing varied landscape of the city of Augusta, the architecture and history are unmatched, offering a visually captivating journey through time with a simple stroll down one of its streets. Stories of eras past are told through the stone and brick facades of downtown businesses, through the arches and columns of craftsman homes in adjacent neighborhoods, and in the hallways and entrances of various schools in the region.
A unique city with rich history, Augusta is one whose past has been at least in part preserved thanks to the team at Historic Augusta, Incorporated, a private non-profit whose mission is "to preserve and protect historically or architecturally significant sites in Augusta and Richmond County, Georgia."
Historic Augusta was charted in 1965 when members of the community began to notice a disturbing trend of demolishing older structures to make way for new buildings and parking lots, often to keep up with the demand of more automobiles on the road after World War II.
The trend was a phenomenon witnessed far and wide, and national attention to the unceasing demolition later led to the passing of the National Historical Preservation Act in 1966.
In Augusta, residents were saddened to see the grand courthouse, the city hall, the train station and other significant buildings torn down. A small group banded together to create Historic Augusta, Inc. with the intent of saving as many structures as possible from the wrecking ball. The organization recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.
