16 March 1900: "An Athens Lady" Publishes "An Interesting Work"

On this day in 1900, the Weekly Banner ran the following story: 

An early report about the book in 1893 noted that "it is pronounced by professors and literary persons who have read chapters from it to be full and concise and meritorious in all respects." Miss Mitchell's research for Georgia Land and People is part of the William Letcher Mitchell Papers, 1823-1929 collection held at the University of North Carolina library. 


Frances Letcher Mitchell lived another 27 years after her book was published; in 1902 it was one of the items placed in the cornerstone of the Winnie Davis Hall building on the State Normal School campus. She died in 1927 after a long suffering illness. In her obituary, her book was said to be "notable for its charming style, historic value, and high patriotic feeling." She is buried in Oconee Hill Cemetery.


Several publishers offer reproductions of the original text through major book retailers, and  Barnes and Noble even offers a free e-book version for their Nook e-reader. Other free digital formats (ePub, PDF, Kindle, Daisy, Djvu) of Georgia Lands and People can be found through the Internet Archives. Georgia Land and People is also, of course, available in the Heritage Room.

Learn More:

• Georgia Land and People by Frances Letcher Mitchell in the Heritage collection.
• Weekly Banner, Nov. 1899 - Jul. 12, 1902 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• Athens Banner-Herald, Apr. 1927 - Sep. 1927 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• Oconee Hill Cemetery, Athens, Georgia, Volume I by Charlotte Thomas Marshall in the heritage and general collections.
• Higher Education for Women in the South: A History of Lucy Cobb Institute by Phinizy Spalding in the Heritage collection.
• History of the State Normal School, Athens, Georgia by E. S. Sell in the Heritage and general collections.
• A Postcard History of Athens, Georgia by Gary L. Doster in the Heritage and general collections.