About Us

The great concern to preserve the heritage of Polk County brought together a representative group of citizens from Rockmart, Cedartown, and surrounding communities to organize and establish a historical society. On June 3, 1974, a charter was obtained for The Polk County Historical Society, Inc.

The Society is headquartered in a beautiful building on College Street in Cedartown. The building was designed by noted Georgia architect Neel Reid. Erected in 1921, it was originally the Hawkes Children's Library. A grant from the state provided extensive renovations and made the building an ideal site for a museum. In 1980 the building was placed on the National register of Historic Places, the first structure in Polk County to receive this honor. The Society desires to preserve the building and maintain a museum therein.

The drawing of the building, above, is used with the permission of the local artist, Martiti Camp Mundy.

The first floor of the building with its spacious display area houses the museum. Of special interest is the Palladian window, a Neel Reid hallmark. The lower floor includes storage and exhibit space, a kitchen and a meeting room with seating for 100 people. The museum was opened formally in September of 1978 with an interesting display of artifacts from this area. Each year the collection of photographs, newspapers, documents, and artifacts has grown, and gifts to the museum are still being accepted. The museum is opened to the public every Wednesday from 1:30 pm to 4 pm and Saturday from noon to 4 pm.

Immediately behind the building is a formal garden built around the fountain that stood for many years on the old Courthouse grounds. Inserted in the wall is the grillwork of the clock from the old Courthouse.