Oglethorpe University will once again be featured as a point of interest in the annual Phoenix Flies: A Celebration of Atlanta’s Historic Sites, presented by the Atlanta Preservation Center.

This three-week event will spotlight over 50 participating “Preservation Partners” offering nearly 100 free in-person and virtual events. These events range from guided walking tours of historic neighborhoods and districts, cemeteries, parks, gardens and battlefields, to lectures on history and preservation. Social distancing and masking guidelines will be followed at in-person programming.

This year, Library Director Eli Arnold will guide visitors back through the history of OU. Founded in 1835 in Midway, Georgia, Oglethorpe has an eccentric tenure which includes being the home of the first modern time capsule and an on-campus elephant burial. The current campus opened in 1915 and is listed on Georgia’s Registry of Historic Places. Visit OU Connect to find out more about the Oglethorpe lecture, which will be held on Thursday, March 11 at 2 p.m.

Phoenix Flies promotes the preservation of Atlanta’s architecturally, historically and culturally significant buildings, neighborhoods and landscapes through education and advocacy. The celebration was created in 2003 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the dramatic rescue of the Fox Theatre, a landmark event that lead to redoubled historic preservation efforts in Atlanta.

2021 marks the 18th year in which the Atlanta Preservation Center has brought together organizations from around the city to demonstrate the importance of Atlanta’s built history. Though last year’s celebration was cancelled due to COVID-19, this year promises a wealth of opportunities that can be safely enjoyed in-person or at home.

Other notable events include the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art’s new tour of the Goodrum House garden led by landscape architect Spencer Tunnell, the Atlanta History Center’s exhibit on women’s suffrage, and the Salvation Army’s Southern Historical Center at Evangeline Booth College.

For a full itinerary of this year’s Phoenix Flies, visit the Atlanta Preservation Center website.