Grovetown honors poet with historical marker

Editor:

The Georgia Historical Society dedicated a long-overdue historical marker at the Grovetown Museum on Sept. 11. The historical marker honors a Grovetown pioneer, poet and writer, Paul Hamilton Hayne, who lived and died here in the 1860s. Reference was also made to the fact that the overpass on Parham Road will be named in honor of Hayne by the county.

Former Superintendent of Columbia County Schools Don Thornhill served as master of ceremonies for the occasion, which included a special welcome by Mayor Dennis Trudeau to those attending, many of whom have a claim to their ancestral heritage here in Grovetown.

Charles Lord presented an informative biography of Hayne, including names of colleges where the archives of Hayne's works are stored today.

Christy Crisp, an official of the Georgia Historical Society, mentioned how prestigiously the historical marker is awarded. She also acclaimed the unveiling of the Hayne historical marker as very deserving.

Those present were impressed by the outstanding performance of the Fort Gordon Color Guard led by NCOIC SSG Derrick Dodds. They were also enthralled by the patriotic music provided by 35 members of Fort Gordon's U.S. Army Signal Corps Band, formed by Sgt. Jason Smeltzer and directed by WOI Jonathan Ward. The focus of these two memorial events - the unveiling of a historical marker and the timely remembrance of Sept. 11, 2001 - left everyone feeling that it's just great to be an American.

Rosa Lee Owens

Grovetown