Most Atlantans only glimpse Peachtree Creek briefly from Piedmont or Peachtree Roads as they pass over it on their daily commute, if at all. However, with the advent of vigorous community organizing and outreach, several advocacy groups have brought new awareness to Peachtree Creek and are committed to educating the public and preserving the creek.
Photo by David Kaufman
One such group, Peachtree Creek Greenway, Inc., has partnered with Oglethorpe University Museum of Art and photographer/historian/traveler David Kaufman to present the exhibition “Peachtree Creek: A Natural & Unnatural History of Atlanta’s Watershed,” on view in the Trustee Room in the Turner Lynch Campus Center, February 5 – August 4.
In 1990, David Kaufman decided to explore Peachtree Creek from its headwaters to its confluence with the Chattahoochee River. For 13 years, he paddled the creek, photographed it, and researched its history as the Atlanta area’s major watershed. In 2004/5, Kaufman’s photographs of the creek were on view at the Fernbank Museum of Natural History and in 2007, UGA Press published Kaufman’s photographs and text in the book Peachtree Creek. A compelling mix of urban travelogue and local history, the book is also a call for conservation of a natural resource moving through an ever-growing urban landscape.
Source: Peachtree Creek Greenway, Inc.
The exhibition features more than 15 original photographs by Kaufman, as well as text regarding the history, a timeline, and conservation issues. Also included are renderings by Carlos Perez of Perez Planning and Design LLC for the Peachtree Creek Greenway, Inc. of the “model miles” they are currently creating along the creek’s north fork. The Greenway will be a linear park and multi-use trail envisioned to enhance the environment, encourage economic opportunities, and promote healthy lifestyles for residents, workers, and visitors along the route.
Kaufman also will present a lecture on May 1 in the Trustee Room. Copies of the book Peachtree Creek will be available for purchase at the lecture. The exhibition and lecture are presented in partnership with the City of Brookhaven, with additional support from the Brookhaven Convention and Visitors Bureau.
NOTE: The Turner Lynch Campus Center is open 24/7, however access to the exhibition in the Trustee Room may be limited due to scheduled meetings.
