Four decades of history up for sale at Powers Festival auction
By SARAH FAY CAMPBELL
sarah@newnan.com
Years of Coweta history will be on the auction block tonight.
Artwork and crafts from throughout the four-decade history of the Powers Festival — formerly Powers’ Crossroads Country Fair and Art Festival — as well as historical and antique items that were formerly displayed at the “country store” and other areas at the festival will be auctioned tonight at the Depot History Center, the former Atlanta and West Point railroad freight depot in downtown Newnan.
The artwork and craft items span the life of the 42-year-old festival, and include some paintings from festival founder Tom Powers and longtime festival director Harriet Alexander.
Many of the works of art were “purchase awards” from throughout the years.
For much of the festival’s run, Coweta Festivals Inc. — and sometimes sponsors — would purchase pieces from the finest exhibitors at the festival.
The artwork was kept in the gallery at the Coweta Festivals office near the festival grounds. Various historic items were displayed in the country store.
Now that the festival grounds have been leased to a management company, there is nowhere to put all the items, so they are being sold.
“We are hoping that the people who loved Powers’, that have enjoyed the festival for the last 42 years, are going to come and want to take home something that means something” to them, said Leigh Massengill, a Coweta Festivals Inc. board member representing Coweta County 4-H. “An artist, a piece of artwork that meant something, or just some reminder of the history of Coweta County,” Massengill said.
Some of the historical items include an antique cash register, ice cream containers from Coweta Dairies, a crosscut saw, old farm tools, old Mason jars, and some items of unknown purpose and origin.
“We have some I don’t even know what is,” said Massengill.
“It’s going to be awesome for people to have a little piece of Powers’,” said Lisa Sewell, who was busy tagging items with descriptions during the preview event.
“This is some cool stuff here, that has been with Powers’ a long time,” said R.L. Hughey of the Newnan-Coweta Art Association. “You kind of hate to see it get broken up,” Hughey said.
“Let’s get it to the people that Powers’ meant something to over the years,” he said. “Come have a piece of the festival.”
Coweta Festivals Inc. is made up of five non-profit organizations: Coweta 4-H, NCAA, the Pilot Club, the Jaycees, and the Newnan-Coweta Chamber of Commerce.
A new parking lot is under construction at the history center but is not yet complete. Those attending the auction can park either along East Broad Street or in the parking lot behind the Coweta County Administration Building.
