Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Historic Jail topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Newton County board hears update on historic jail restoration, civil‑rights exhibit
Summary
County officials heard a progress update on the historic Newton County jail restoration and a new exhibit about the facility's history and the "Newton 6" civil‑rights era arrests; staff said the exhibit and building work are on track for completion around June.
Newton County commissioners heard a detailed update April 21 on the restoration of the county's historic jail and the design for a new exhibit that will document the building's history and the county's civil‑rights era, including the group referred to in the presentation as the "Newton 6."
Acting County Manager James Brown introduced project presenter Jeff Prime, who said the county's priorities for the project are to "preserve and rebuild and rehabilitate the existing cells" so visitors can experience the historic space. Prime described planned exhibit elements including donated relics, a printed docket of inmates, newspaper clippings, tools from the era and a wall honoring sheriffs who served from the 1800s to the present. He also said the exhibit will include video interviews of surviving members of the group described as the Newton 6, which will play on a continuous loop.
"The things that you asked us to do when we started this process was to preserve and rebuild and rehabilitate the existing cells," Prime told commissioners. He said the kiosk currently outside the building will remain in place and that interpretive material will guide visitors through the entry and cell areas.
Prime showed commissioners visual mockups and said crews have removed flaking paint and are rehabbing cells; he told the board staff are aiming to complete building work and the exhibit around June. Commissioners praised the design and compared the work favorably to the recently completed RL Cousins project; several commissioners said preserving difficult parts of local history is important for future generations.
Public commenter Barbara Morgan, a member of the SPLOST oversight committee, praised the county's project-management for SPLOST‑funded work and commended the historic jail project as another example of investments that "serve our long term good."
The presentation did not include a detailed final construction budget in the transcript; commissioners asked clarifying questions about which exterior elements would remain and heard that interior audio‑visual interviews will be included. The board did not take a formal vote on the exhibit presentation at the meeting.
