The Fuller E. Callaway Foundation is once again showing its support for the University of West Georgia, this time with a gift of $30,000 to the UWG Center for Public History, which will support the West Georgia Textile Heritage Trail.
The trail, founded by the Center for Public History and textile industry families, is a heritage tourism initiative in west and northwest Georgia. Following along the U-S Highway 27 corridor, it highlights and celebrates historic communities that played a vital regional and sometimes national role in the cotton, hosiery, apparel, chenille and carpet industries. It also promotes public programs, exhibits, events and other activities that highlight the textile industry and its impact on the region.
The UWG Center for Public History manages the Textile Trail with a dedicated staff of faculty and students. It researches, documents, preserves, and promotes public discussion of the history and cultural, architectural, and folklife resources of the broader West Georgia region. Some exhibits include the Mandeville Mills, Carrollton’s first cotton mill, and the historic Lawler Lofts, a multi-story hosiery mill built in 1934.
“We are delighted to receive this support from the Callaway Foundation to undertake a strategic plan for the West Georgia Textile Heritage Trail,” says Dr. Ann McCleary, Co-Director of the Center for Public History. “The Callaway family played a key role in the development of the textile industry in West Georgia, so it is quite fitting that they help us tell the story of this important industry in our region. We are excited to embark on this year-long initiative to further develop the Trail as a premier heritage tourism product in our region.”
Founded in 1917, The Fuller E. Callaway Foundation, Inc. is a staple in the community. The foundation has made contributions for religious, charitable and educational purposes of more than $45.6 million. It mostly supports LaGrange area projects, and funds three different scholarship programs. Since 1943, public and private institutions and programs have been greatly enhanced by generous gifts.
The Fuller E. Callaway Foundation, Inc. ranks 20th among the hundreds of private foundations in the southeastern United States. The foundation has supported the Center for Public History in the past with a gift that supported The West Georgia Textile Heritage Trail Book.
UWG serves more than 13,300 students from across Georgia, 34 other states and 74 countries. Perennially ranked by U.S. News and World Report as a top national university, West Georgia offers 87 fields of study, including business, nursing, education, STEM, social sciences and the arts. It generates a regional economic impact of nearly $520 million and provides a safe, quality and affordable college experience that transforms lives. For more information, please visit westga.edu.
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