Horace King and Sons
Archives | 27/10/2011
Legacy Museum on Main, Troup County Archives, LaGrange College, and LaGrange Symphony Orchestra recently collaborated on a special series of events to remember and honor Horace King and his remarkable family. Horace King is best known as the “Prince of Bridge Builders,” but was also involved in construction of houses, schools, churches, and other structures, especially commercial buildings. So were his four sons. King was born a slave in SC in 1807, was given his freedom in 1846 so he could better travel around the South on business with and for his partners, and died in LaGrange, Georgia in 1885 as one of the most respected architects, contractors, and businessmen in Georgia. His sons, George and John, especially, continued his legacy in the LaGrange area until George died in 1899 and John in 1926. They were responsible for building much of the downtown business district, the first cotton mill in LaGrange, an addition to Smith Hall at LaGrange College, numerous churches and homes, a grand hotel, and a government office building. They invested in the earliest cotton factories and were active in church and civic affairs.
The College hosted a lecture on the life of King on October 18th by John Lupold, author of a biography on King and family. LaGrange College professor, Lee Johnson, composed a symphony based upon his life and LaGrange Symphony Orchestra presented the world premiere of it on October 25th at their season opening concert in Callaway Auditorium at LaGrange College. The Archives worked with the college and symphony to develop a history / activity sheet about King for use by the Symphony’s Music In Schools program during the coming year, and helped the Legacy Museum on Main produce a special Historic Exhibit on Horace King and Sons that opened October 25th with a gala reception following the symphony for concert attendees and musicians. The exhibit will be on display and open to the public, free of charge at Legacy Museum on Main until January 31, 2012.
