Q: I'm curious what happened to the columns that were on Columns Drive?
--Ed Robie, Sandy Springs
A: In some ways, the whereabouts of those columns that once graced one side of Columns Drive in east Cobb County remain a mystery, but I've pieced together part of the answer. The columns originally were from the first Equitable Building, which was built in 1892 and considered the first fireproof office building in the South. It was eight floors and supported by 24 columns that were approximately 20 feet tall and weighed between 15 and 20 tons. When the building was torn down in 1972, the columns were dispersed – hard to believe things so big can disappear -- but it appears seven of them ended up on land near the Chattahoochee River in east Cobb. Hence, Columns Drive. In 1994, three of those columns were erected at 100 Peachtree Street, near their original location and across the road from the Flatiron Building and Woodruff Park (according to publicartaroundtheworld.com). Those account for three of the wayward columns from Columns Drive, leaving four MIA. If anybody knows anything about the old Equitable Building columns, especially the ones that ended up on Columns Drive, e-mail me at q&a@ajc.com.
Q: What is Marshall Forest and where is it located?
A: It's not exactly the great outdoors since it's said to be the only virgin forest inside a city's limits, but Marshall Forest -- which is in Rome -- is about 75-100 acres of old-growth forest. The land, once owned by naturalist and philanthropist Maclean Marshall, received the first National Natural Landmark designation in Georgia from the U.S. Department of the Interior. If you like plants and animals, or just getting back to nature, head on up to Marshall Forest and its adjacent 120 acres of fields and woods. They are home to 300 species of plants, including the endangered large-flowered skullcap, frogs, salamanders, snakes and birds.
Q: Was Jackie Robinson born in Georgia?
A: Years before he broke Major League Baseball's color barrier, Robinson was born on Jan. 31, 1919, in the South Georgia town of Cairo – which is pronounced KAY-ro. Robinson was still a baby when his mother took her family to Pasadena, Calif., where he was raised. Robinson became the first black man to play in the majors when he made his MLB debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947.
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.
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