Q: I have been a resident of Atlanta for more than 45 years. I have noticed that in the past several years, I have not seen turtles crossing the road. In years past, I would see five or 10 a summer. What is the cause of this?
—David LeCraw, Johns Creek
A: Please, no turtle crossing the road jokes. There are a couple of reasons why you might not see as many turtles as in the past, said John Jensen, a turtle expert with Georgia's Department of Natural Resources. Most likely, you were not in the right place at the right time, because Jensen said turtles were reportedly on the move last year. "Most pond- and stream-dwelling turtles seen on land are females coming up to nest, and obviously this is only during the spring and early summer breeding season," he said. "However, our most common land-dwelling turtle, the eastern box turtle, is especially active after warm rains." But the box turtle might be hunkered down, Jensen said, because of the state's drought-like conditions. At least 27 kinds of turtles call Georgia home, according to the website for UGA's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory. OK, just one joke: Why did the turtle cross the road? To get to the Shell station.
Q: Is there a museum in the state Capitol?
A: It was created by accident, but the Georgia Capitol Museum is on the fourth floor of the Capitol, and Atlanta has just one of a few state capitols that include a museum, according to GeorgiaInfo, an online Georgia almanac presented by GALILEO and the Digital Library of Georgia. Atlanta hosted the 1895 Cotton States and International Exposition, and some of the leftover items and exhibits made their way to the Capitol, where they were stored in the halls. They quickly became popular with folks, so other exhibits were added, and eventually, the fourth floor became a museum. Georgia's legislature named it the State Museum of Science and Industry in 1955, according to the article. Funding improved the exhibits and it was officially named the Georgia Capitol Museum in 1997. The museum was redesigned to allow "the interpretation of the Atlanta Capitol — its history, construction, and uses — to be exhibited with a fresh, modern approach," according to its website. A Hall of Valor, which displays flags, was added to the first floor. The free museum is open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, but you can check out a virtual tour of the museum at http://sos.georgia.gov/archives/museum/virtual_tour/virtual_tour_interior.htm
What do you want to know about Georgia?
If you’re new in town or have questions about this special place we call home, ask us! E-mail Andy Johnston at q&a@ajc.com.
About the Author
