The Great Walls of Massie Heritage Center Restored

Massie Heritage Center has some exciting news.  Courtyard and garden walls at the Center have been restored thanks to grants received from the Daughters of the American Revolution, $10.000.00, The 1772 Foundation via The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, $10,000.00, the Chatham Foundation, 10,000.00 and Friends of Massie, $20,000.00. Massie Heritage Center also received generous donations from the Savannah Downtown Garden Club, $4000.00, and $5000.00 from the Savannah Downtown Neighborhood Association, along with $5000.00 from the Savannah Garden Club Association.   

Massie Heritage Center was once home to Massie School which operated from 1856 to 1974.  The facility was re-opened in 1978 as a heritage center still operated by the Savannah Chatham County Public School System. The walls were built in the late 19^th century to enclose the boys’ and girls’ playgrounds and have endured a lot of wear and tear over the years. 

Much of the haggard mortar holding the old Savannah Grey bricks together had to be removed and replaced with proper lime-based mortar.  Many bricks had to be replaced and numerous cracks that ran the length of the wall top to bottom had to be repaired.  The walls are now strong as ever and will protect Massie’s gardens and school children on visit for a field trip for many more years.  Workers from the Scottish Stonemason Company performed the intricate craftsmanship.