SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
HISTORIC COLUMBUS FOUNDATION ELIZABETH BARKER, Executive Director
Historic Columbus has always been a part of who Eliza- beth Barker is. As a child, she lived next to the Pember- ton House in a historic district, just a few doors down from where she now works as the executive director of Historic Columbus. She recalls her parents drove to every house museum on the eastern seaboard. “It’s the heart of me,” she explains of her passion for history. Elizabeth never strayed from that
love, University of Georgia.
Since she grew up knowing the direc- tors of Historic Columbus and working for the organization during college breaks, she knew that was where she belonged. Although Elizabeth started her career with an historic Eufaula property, she was thrilled when in 1999 then execu- tive director Virginia Peebles cre- ated the position of preserva- tion planner for her. Five years ago, Elizabeth became the executive director.
64 getting her
undergraduate degree in history from Huntington Col- lege in Montgomery, followed by a master’s degree in
historic preservation from the
706.322.0756
historiccolumbus.com
Her background and education in preservation and neighborhood revitalization has led HC beyond the house museums they renovated and operated during their 47-year history and the structures they saved. Elizabeth points out that over past few years, heritage education and tours have been changing nationwide and Columbus is embracing that new direction.
“Historic preservation is about economic development at the end of the day,” Elizabeth explains. Historic Colum- bus is now involved in 11 historic districts in the city and is developing tools, such as reinstatement of the Muscogee County Land Bank, to help revitalize vacant properties. Next on Elizabeth’s horizon is continued neighborhood revitalization work, like that underway in Waverly Terrace, and work with the city to spark master planning for City Village, a small area between the city and Bibb Mills. She believes that facilitating solutions for neighborhoods to once again be productive, safe and interesting is one of the greatest things Historic Columbus can do. Education is another important component to Elizabeth, and HC sponsors a variety of activities from tours for chil- dren, to history camps, to in-school programs. “It means so much more to be able to do what you love where you love. I am extremely blessed, not only to have found out what I love, but to be given the incredible oppor- tunity to work here.”
Columbus and the Valley JUNE 2013
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