Have you ever wondered how the Atlanta High Museum of Art got its start in Atlanta?
Have you ever heard of the Haverty furniture company? Did you ever know there was a connection between J.J. Haverty, the founder of the Haverty Furniture Company and the High Museum of Art?
Well our speaker this morning, Mr. William Rawson Smith, is the great, great, grandson of J.J. Haverty. He wrote a book called “Villa Clare”, a house J.J. named after his late wife, which speaks to the purposeful life and the timeless art collection of J.J. Haverty. J.J. was the person who made the citizens of Atlanta seem more focused on the arts and less on the notion that all southerners were ‘red necks’ and members of the ‘Klan’.
J.J. Haverty regularly invited Atlanta society to his home, ‘Villa Clare’, which is now the location of the Shepard Clinic on Peachtree Street near Piedmont hospital. He displayed his collection of ‘American realist and Impressionist paintings as well as sculptures to raise the ‘awareness of art’ which led the establishment of the Atlanta High Museum of Art in Atlanta in 1926.
In 1858, J.J. Haverty was a poor Irish immigrant who lived in Atlanta with his parents. Born into a hard working family full of determination and perseverance, he was seven years old when Atlanta was burned to the ground in the Civil War, including his parent’s home.
In the 1860’s, his father established the Haverty/Daily Irish pub in Atlanta where he learned many of his business skills. He also made friends with many of the Irish Union soldiers.
Late he furthered his business skills by working for the owner of the Rich’s Department store, which flourished in Atlanta for many years.
In 1876, he took a temporary leave of absence from his job to visit the Philadelphia Art Exhibition, one of the grandest displays of art in the United States in those days. He was spell bound and never felt the same way about art again.
In 1924, J.J. had ‘The Grand Central Galleries’ come to Atlanta for an art exhibition that was displayed at the old Biltmore Hotel in Atlanta, the ‘show place’ of the city at that time. In 1925, he had a second art exhibit come to Atlanta which was a huge success. In 1926, the Atlanta High Museum was born.
The Circle K committee will host a pizza party this evening at 7 p.m. in the Andrew Young Center at Morehouse College. All members are welcome. Come join the festivities.
The Board members will meet at J. Christopher’s Restaurant on West Peachtree Street, at 7:30 a.m. Friday, December 7th.
Saturday, December 1st, 10 a.m., My House committee and other Club volunteers will do a general cleanup and decorate the house for Christmas for the children. Donuts and coffee will be served. Come lend a ‘helping hand’.
Honorary tree decorating for two children with medical problems…little girl 11 years old and a little boy 6 years old. Northlake Mall* Enter on lower level at food court entrance…backside of mall. Brunch to follow decoration of trees.
[*Northlake Mall located at the intersection of Briarcliff and Lavista Roads, just inside I-285.]
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