Ornaments depicting old Muscogee courthouse to hang in Governor’s Mansion this Christmas

Two holiday ornaments depicting the Muscogee County courthouse of bygone years will hang from Christmas trees in the Governor’s Mansion this year.

The two ornaments were created by Harper Bray, a 5th-grader at Britt David Elementary Computer Magnet Academy; and Mary Beth Fineout and Kevin Jeffcoat, two teachers at Northside High School.

Bray designed a black and white sketch with a red border topped with a glittering, gold Christmas bow. Fineout and Jeffcoat created a three-dimensional, red and white model of the courthouse, using a 3-D printer at Northside High.

Judith Tucker, the soon-to-be-retired executive assistant to Mayor Teresa Tomlinson, said she commissioned the artwork after receiving a letter from the Governor’s Mansion, requesting two ornaments - one made by a child and the other either already available or created by an individual of any age.

“Our goal is for each one of Georgia’s 159 counties to have an ornament hanging in the Governor’s Mansion during our Christmas tours,” the letter read.

Muscogee County courtrooms are currently located in the Government Center. So, Tucker collected photos of a courthouse that existed from 1896 to 1971, and sent them to Fineout, an art teacher at Northside High, asking for her help.

Fineout reached out to Aleatha Thrush, the art teacher at Britt David who recommended Bray for a traditional ornament. At Northside, Fineout recruited Jeffcoat, a drafting teacher there, for the second ornament.

Tucker said the 3-D printer, called a MakerBot Replicator, enabled the teachers to create the model one layer at a time, with all the intricate details.

“I think it’s great that our high school children have access to that type of equipment,” she said.

The courthouse depicted in the ornaments was built in 1896. It was a red brick building with a foundation of granite, according to a newspaper article. It was 264 feet long and 84 feet wide with porches and steps of white marble. It cost $63, 479.60.

On Sept. 25, Tomlinson sent the two ornaments to the the Governor, along with a letter wishing him and his family a joyous holiday season.

“It is with pleasure we submit two amazing holiday ornaments to you for use on the Christmas tree in the Governor’s Mansion this year,” she wrote. “We were so pleased to have the opportunity to highlight the handiwork of some talented individuals in our city.”

This story was originally published September 28, 2017 at 5:25 PM with the headline "Ornaments depicting old Muscogee courthouse to hang in Governor’s Mansion this Christmas."