City seeks historical marker for Emery Thomas Auditorium

The Dublin City Council has taken the first step in hopes of bringing a Georgia historical marker to a site that was once home to the only 4-H camp for black students in the state.

The council approved an application for the Georgia Historical Society’s marker review for the Emery Thomas Auditorium during its recent council meeting. 

“The auditorium is a historically significant building on the Riverview Golf Course,” said Dublin City Manager Josh Powell. “It was part of the site of the one and only black 4-H camp that was established here in our community.”

The council invested about $800,000 in renovating the facility. During that time, the auditorium was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and it is also on the Georgia Registry.

“Now, we’d like to see about having one of the historical markers that is issued by the Georgia Historical Society placed on site,” Powell said. “This resolution will authorize the application and it will commit the city to grant an easement for the placement of the marker at the site, which will record and document the historical significance of the building.”

Emery’s granddaughter, Tonya Thomas Berry, was happy to hear about the council’s decision.

“We are ecstatic about this,” Berry said. “I will tell my family. They have been waiting for a marker so that they can come see the new renovations. They have been waiting on that. During segregation times, this is where blacks came. They looked forward to it. This was an important place because it was the only one in the United States. I’m so glad my grandfather made sure something positive was done to those grounds and it became a golf course.”

Berry remembered how her uncle would visit Dublin and had to drive to McRae to play golf back then because the country club was the only place and he was not allowed to play there.

“The significance of this area becoming a public golf course is important,” Berry said. 

The marker application checklist requires a documentation worksheet, completed research paper, images of the nomination, city map or marker site and a property owner easement. If approved, the city’s portion to complete this will be $2,500. 

Councilwoman Sara Kolbie noted such a marker could draw people to Dublin. 

“For those who are searching for those markers, it may increase outside visitors,” she said.

Powell agreed.

“People who search and try to look up historical and significant locations when they are in a particular area, this will be on the list,” he said.

Besides the marker, Berry wants to see signage for the Emery Thomas Auditorium at the entrance for Riverview Golf Course.

“That way people will know that is where the auditorium is because it is historical,” she said. “It seems like there would be a sign at the road.”  

Dublin Mayor Joshua Kight believed this will be something good for the community.

“I grew up here and I went to the Riverview many times and saw the auditorium many times and never thought twice about it,” he said. “Now with the renovations that we have done, and having the historical markers there, there is a way to learn about the history of the place and the history of our community. I think this is a huge positive.”