Trailer Video
GPS Map(Zoom Out With 2 Fingers Then Hit On The Yellow Marker And Hit On The Right Pointed Arrow In Upper Right Corner To Use GPS Directions To Get To This Mural)
Introduction
In part 1 of the breakdown of the Union County Legends mural, I explained to you the reasoning for the decisions made to bring the mural to life, who was on there, and why. In this part, I’m simply going to break down why each person was placed where they are, how the design came about and was planned, and what decisions led the Union County Legends mural to become what it did.
Picking The Scene:
This was the hardest part of the entire process. For beginners, building the foundation for this mural was key, and the first question was “Can I fit all 25 of the first people to go onto the mural into the wide, but short wall of space”? The 2nd question was, what background scene will I use to cast them onto that makes sense? The last question was, how will I organize all of them in a way that makes sense and still leave room for more people to be added in the future? Let’s break down the answers in the next few paragraphs below.
Initially, and again, I wanted to start by picking 25 people to set the foundation of the mural. While I wasn’t exactly sure if 25 people would be too many people or enough. I did know 25 people gave a wide array of backgrounds, careers, subjects, and history to cover and learn about. With all the material I had, I REALLY wanted to pick this many people to start with. So, that’s when I reached out to Audie and asked him for his input on how many people he truly thought we could put in there. Initially, I didn’t realize that he thought I only meant that I wanted to put everyone in between the windows up front and the door in the middle, and he told me maybe 15. Thankfully, after clearing up that I wanted the entire wall used, he confirmed that we could definitely fit the 25 people in that I wanted. It was a relief to know I didn’t spend TOO MUCH time researching and working on everything that I had and that I could put it all to use!
Once realizing my numbers added up, I had to figure out not only a way to make this mural complement the other mural on the back of the building, but how to do so in a way that was fitting to Union County. I had no idea where to go with this. I wanted to use a scene true to Union County that had a fitting meaning, but also had to keep in mind that the wall was measured to be only 10 feet tall and about 30 feet wide. What scene that I know of in Union County that could possibly fit into those measurements? This is when I turned to Audie and went with his suggestion of a picnic scene in a mountain area. So, I trusted his guidance and experience in art and went with this. Therefore, and unfortunately, I wasn’t able to pick a true Union County location, but Audie’s suggestion truly was the best-case scenario and still made sense. When you’re in the mountains, the mountain scene just works best, right? He made it work out perfectly to complement the other mural by matching the same color scheme with tints of yellow for the sunburst, the tints of blue for the mountains and river/creek, and the tints of green for the trees and grass. The color scheme not only helped give the building a better matching aesthetic, but also gave it a brighter, less bland look that depicted Union County history. It also looks much better than the 2 bland white walls that were there before. To me, it was perfect.
Clearly, while I wanted to start off by laying the foundation for the mural and had to make a few picks to get the mural started, I didn’t want to be the only one to pick which people to go onto the mural. Therefore, my idea for having an eventual voting process came along. This meant I needed to leave as much space as possible. Thankfully, after seeing the mural complete, there are noticeable amounts of space left for others. The plan is to obviously add newer people to the more spacious areas left, but as the mural becomes more crowded, I want to place some folks to be placed between the shoulders of those placed in front. So, with this all considered, I decided that when organizing the first round of legends that they were paired by way of similar connections, backgrounds, and careers. This way, when someone else known for something similar is added, they can be added with or around the people that they have similarities with. It just made the most sense.
In conclusion, while most everything is done for the mural, but still needs some minor work done, the stage and basics are pretty much set and ready to go for a cool, unique experience that only Union County has the opportunity have at the moment. No other town around, or in most any town I know of, has something like this to even be considered at the moment. So, I really hope that Union Countians can learn to appreciate this work and excite themselves for the chance they can have to add to this experience, as it is intended to be more about them and what history they want shared, and not just what I want. Below is a breakdown of each legend’s pairing made on the mural to help make more sense of how each person was placed and why.
The Grandpa and Granddaughter(Jack Lance and Glenda Gooch):
While they are not tied together for career relations or reasons, they are put together given that I felt it was fitting to have them together since they are relatives to one another and the only grandfather-granddaughter combo paired together on the mural. Of course, Glenda’s other grandfather, Glenn Gooch, is also on the mural, but he was placed in another location on the mural and not with Glenda for a reason that will be explained in this same article as you keep reading.
Sheriff Harlan Duncan and his horse Lucky:
Of course, Lucky doesn’t have his own personal video as he is simply only associated with Harlan Duncan. However, I felt that the horse was a huge part of Harlan Duncan’s identity and he is still often remembered through stories told about him. I absolutely felt like Lucky should be put on the mural with Harlan because of the memories it brings back to those who remember Harlan and Lucky best.
The Historians(Ethelene Dyer Jones, Ed Mauney-And Bozo too):
Ethelene Dyer Jones and Ed Mauney left marks in Union County that we should all be more thankful for. Ethelene, a noted historian in her own right, was heavily invested in saving and preserving Union County history, telling its stories, and keeping the history itself alive. Ed, just like Ethelene, was a historian, but most importantly, he was Union County’s first ever state appointed historian. He was the one able to record and save a lot of the Union County history that there is to keep alive and that we know. Though they both did their historical duties in different times, the work of these 2 makes them a fitting duo to be seen together on the mural. And of course, Ed Mauney was not just known as a historian, but he was also historically known for his pet bear, Bozo. I have gotten some mixed reviews regarding the bear on the mural and that it may look out of place. However, when you learn about the close bond and activities of Ed and Bozo, it’s easy to see why it is so neat, unique, and fitting and why the mural might not tell as much of a story without Bozo.
The Corporation Attorney(James Lon Duckworth):
As I stated in part 1, when looking back, I honestly kind of wish I had maybe put him beside his brother, WIlliam Henry Duckworth, so that 2 brothers could be right beside each other. However, no biggie. They are close enough. This leads me to explain that though he himself was not a Supreme Court Justice, he was placed beside the Supreme Court Justices who, just like him, held careers as attorneys and conducted their careers in Atlanta.
The Poet(Byron Herbert Reece):
As stated in part 1, I wanted him placed sitting on a rock to represent one of his favorite things that he used to do: Sitting along Wolf Creek while writing poetry. I know, he isn’t actually “writing” poetry, but the book in his hand is intended to be one of his books of poetry, which hopefully in the future, can have a title of one of his books added to it.
The Judges(Thomas Slaughter Candler, William Henry Duckworth, Joseph Emerson Brown, Charles Simpson Reid, Bascom Sine Deaver):
4 of these men were Georgia State Supreme Court Justices, while 1 of them was a Federal Judge. Their placements were picked because I wanted to have the higher ranked judges(Your Chief Justices) in the center, while I wanted the Associate Justice and Federal Judge to be on the sides. If I were to have placed them based on their time as Chief Justices, William Henry Duckworth would have been in the center, but Joseph Emerson Brown was not only a Chief Justice and one of Georgia’s first, and he was also Georgia’s Civil War Governor which made me want to make him the center of attention at the table. Beside him are the other Georgia State Supreme Court Chief Justices, William Henry Duckworth, who is the Georgia State Supreme Court’s longest ever serving Chief Justice in history, and Charles Simpson Reid, who was once Georgia’s youngest ever appointed Chief Justice at the time of his appointment(As well as the youngest in U.S. history at the time!). Beside Justice Duckworth is Associate Justice, Thomas Slaughter Candler, who served in his position for 21 years, and is a cousin to former Coca-Cola tycoon, Asa Griggs Candler. Beside Justice Reid is U.S. Federal Judge, Bascom Sine Deaver, a lesser-known individual to Union Countians, but nonetheless a very respectable judge who oversaw golfing legend Bobby Jones first case as an attorney and was also responsible for the arrest warrant of former Georgia Governor, E.D. Rivers. In conclusion, these men were all great selections due to their careers as prestigious judges and who were all fittingly grouped together for all of the great contributions they made to the state of Georgia.
The 3 Level Politicians(Glenn Gooch, Carlton Colwell, Ed Jenkins):
Of course, they aren’t the only politicians on the mural, as many of the people on the mural were in political positions in their own rights, but these 3 men were grouped together for the fact that they were close friends, they were all relatively close to one another in age, and they each served separately on the local, state, and federal levels during the time that they all held their respective offices. All during the same period, Glenn Gooch served as Union County Sole Commissioner(1984-1996), while Carlton Colwell served as a Georgia State Representative(1965-1995) and Ed Jenkins served as Georgia’s U.S. State Representative for the 9th District(1976-1992). Their grouping positively represents not only their friendship, but the time in which they all most likely worked closely together while working and serving in different levels of government.
The Power Couple(Pat and Maude Haralson):
As noted in part 1, this is the only married couple on the entire mural. One was a powerful attorney and state senator, while the other was Union County’s assumed first ever college educated woman. However, they’re both still remembered for their iconic relationship and contributions to Union County.
The Aviation Enthusiasts(George Berry and Micajah Clark Dyer):
While neither were ever known(at least to my knowledge) to have officially recorded their own airplane flights, both were known for their efforts to improve aviation. One oversaw the expansion of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which today is consistently ranked as the busiest and most efficient airport in the world. The other literally invented a flying machine, and historical legend says he actually flew over Choestoe at one point(Although, again, not officially recorded), and he was also granted a patent for his flying machine nearly 3 decades before the Wright Brothers first took flight. When thinking of Union County and aviation at the same time, it is these 2 who cross my mind for their contributions to aviation, hence their pairing on the mural.
The Foresters(Arthur Woody and Bonnell Stone):
Of course, you’ve got to group the first ever Georgia forest ranger and “The Father Of Forestry In Georgia” together. These 2 men contributed greatly to the Georgia forests that we know today and are big reasons why they became what they have. They both worked in forestry during the same time and in many of the same places. While Bonnell Stone wasn’t necessarily born or raised a Union Countian, he, like Arthur Woody, literally helped pave the way for the forests and many of the roads that we know today.
The War Veterans(Mary Jo Miller and Eric England):
The Educators(M.D. Collins and Doris Colwell):
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