#HistoricHomeMonday: Dearing- Wilkins House (1865) Built for Alfred L. Dearing during the Civil War, this classic mansion was later owned by professor Leon Charbonnier. John J. Wilkins, the founder of Athens National Bank, purchased the house in 1909 and added the 14 impressive Corinthian columns and the Classic Revival porch. The home was vacated in 1969, then later restored in the late 1970s. Listed on the National Register of Historic Homes, this house is associated with an iron dog that graces the front lawn on special occasions. The dog appears in the movie Gone With the Wind (yes, that Gone With the Wind!) when Bonnie Blue is jumping the hedge and falls from the horse. The structure was again restored in 2017 and is currently used as the Alpha Phi House. 📸 John Linley Collection, Box 19, Owens Library, School of Environment and Design, The University of Georgia (photo taken (fb)

We're proud to announce that our Senior Director of Operations, Denise Sunta, and President-Elect / Porchfest Trustee Chair, Shelby Day, have been selected for this year's LEAD Athens program with the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce! LEAD Athens is designed to develop effective leaders committed to building a vibrant community by providing a personal and professional development opportunity for local leaders. This intense, year-long program covers a wide range of topics, including economic development, local industry, health care, government, secondary and higher education, the arts, and more. We're so proud of Denise and Shelby for their contributions to our organization, and the greater Athens community. Thank you for all your hard work and congratulations! (fb)