To celebrate its 100th birthday, the city of Stockbridge is putting together a non-traditional time capsule.
Instead of burying a box of community items in the ground for a future generation to uncover, the community of 29,000 is memorializing its history in a quilt.
Quilters from around the south metro community are helping to create a Centennial Community Quilt, a giant art piece that will include the names of hundreds of residents and feature squares individual to each creator’s vision.
“It was important to me to use a quilt because it is a piece of art that is very personal,” said Stockbridge Main Street Manager Kira Harris-Braggs, a leader of the project. “And we want the centennial celebration to be personal to the citizens of Stockbridge.”
The quilt is one of many events the Henry County city has planned throughout the year to honor Stockbridge’s centennial in August. Residents can meet the quilters during a meet and greet from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Cochran Public Library located, 174 Burke Street in Stockbridge.
Stockbridge native Aisha Lumumba, a master quilter whose work is on display at Stockbridge City Hall and counts the Obamas as owners of one of her pieces, is leading the work.
“My role is to be the main coordinator,” said Lumumba, who now lives in Atlanta. “Everybody who comes brings their own style and work in harmony with the others.”
As they piece together the squares, they share memories of the community and what it means to be a Stockbridge resident, Harris-Braggs said.
When finished the quilt is expected to have about 360 pieces with 300 names of residents, including City Councilmembers, family members of community leaders and others.
Lisa Fareed, a Main Street Stockbridge coordinator, said its important to connect the past with the present and the future. Quilting is an art form that has not been embraced by younger generations and this project keeps it alive for future Stockbridge residents.
“I thought it was really important to get folks from the community to sit down and do this thing together,” she said.
