From welcoming new members, to aiding in research, to preservation of cemeteries and a Civil War battlefield, EVHS committee members enjoy making a difference in the community through active involvement in the Society. Their tireless efforts to increase awareness and understanding of our important historical resources are rewarded every time a new member joins them in their shared interest. EVHS hopes you’ll consider making a difference by joining us in our efforts through active involvement as an EVHS Member or Volunteer.

Allatoona Pass Battlefield
African American History Initiatives 
Bartow History Scholars
Courthouse Office
Geospacial (Digital Maps)
Facebook
Genealogy
Historic Awareness Signs
Bartow County Comprehensive Historical Inventory
Newsletter
Oral History
Preservation
Research
Speakers’ Bureau
Tour of Homes
IT & Website

Allatoona Pass Battlefield Committee
Chaired by: Diane Mooney, Guy Parmenter

EVHS has been involved with Allatoona Pass Civil War Battlefield since 1993, having transformed what once was an overgrown wilderness area into a visitor friendly park which hosts thousands of visitors each year. Today, EVHS serves in an advisory role to Red Top Mountain State Park, having passed responsibility for this battlefield to the State of Georgia in 2007. The Society met its goal to have one monument for each state represented in the battle by the 150th Civil War Anniversary in 2014.

African American History Initiatives
Chair Becky Champion.

EVHS has taken the momentum of the 2017/18 African American Quilt Documentation Project to the next level and established a standing EVHS committee to address black history initiatives in Bartow County. This committee is dedicated to programming that advances the discovery, preservation and community collaboration of African American history in Bartow County.

Bartow History Scholars
Chaired by: Vacant

An innovative program launched in 2012, the Bartow History Scholars committee led by Joe Head has partnered EVHS with local and county (public and private) middle school systems to host a unique county history program. It is designed to increase historical awareness among students about Bartow county and the various communities within. The program recognizes annually top middle school history scholars and includes a competitive county History Quiz Bowl. In April of 2015, The Georgia Trust for Preservation presented EVHS its “Excellence in Preservation Award” in recognition of this program.

Courthouse Office
EVHS Board

The EVHS offices are proudly located in the 1903 Gold Dome Courthouse in the center of downtown Cartersville. We are open Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday from 1:00 to 4:00. Mondays & Fridays are by appointment only and our office must be notified of any cancellations. Please note we are an entire volunteer organization. Please call the office ahead of time to confirm we are open before making a visit. Please contact our office at 770-606-8862.

Geospacial Committee
Chaired by: Monique Autry Clouse, Tim Poe

Beginning in 2011, EVHS partnered with Kennesaw State University’s Department of Geographical Information Sciences (GIS) to create a gallery of historically themed digital maps. These maps are interactive and each is designed to illustrate selected Bartow County history topics. As of 2017 there are 18 maps that have been published.

Social Media / Communications
Chaired by: Vacant

Debbie Head put EVHS on the Social Media stage by taking on the Facebook/Instagram pages and making it a robust site for our membership. She works with others in the Society to keep the public informed about events and membership updates. The page contains timely photos and content about the Society’s happenings.

Genealogy Committee
Chaired by: Vacant

Limited Genealogy materials are available on microfilm in the office including newspapers, census records,  marriage records and hardcopy books. EVHS no longer offers genealogical assistance at this time. (Contact the Bartow County Genealogical Society for assistance)

Historic Awareness Sign Program
Chaired by: Dianne Tate

The initiative by the City of Cartersville to establish a preservation ordinance has sparked a renewed interest in the Heritage Sign Program, and the office has been flooded with calls requesting information. Currently, over a hundred signs have been purchased since the program began in 1992, with many framed signs being displayed inside homes. Awareness of our precious historic resources continues to grow, and we continue to encourage all historic home owners to purchase a sign for their property, especially EVHS members.

Bartow County Comprehensive Historic Inventory
Chaired by: Mary Norton & Michael Garland

In 2006, an extensive county wide inventory of historic sites was highlighted throughout the county. The inventory was presented to the Bartow County Commissioner and is on file at the EVHS offices for reference.

Newsletter
Chaired by: Ted Porter

The EVHS Newsletter is published up to three or four times annually, beginning in late January. Committee reports and articles should be delivered to the editor early in the quarter prior to publication. Layout and graphics are done by Jeff Williams.

Please submit any articles to EVHS for consideration.

Oral History Committee
Chaired by: Judy Kilgore and Susan Tumlin

The Oral History project was created as a result of the Historic Inventory Project completed in 2005 by EVHS under the leadership of Mary Norton. While working on the inventory project of historic places, it was discovered that while the places had stories to tell, individuals did as well. So many people’s stories are lost in time; the committee now records the stories. Over 50 interviews have been completed. Interviews may be viewed at the EVHS office, Bartow History Museum and Cartersville Library. Serving as co-chairmen are Trey Gaines and Genie Jolly Certain. Committee members include Mary Norton, Sally Tonsmeire, Mina Harper and Joan Wade Carroll.

Preservation Committee
Chaired by: John Lewis

The Etowah Valley Historical Society has had a long commitment to preservation and highlighting the history of Bartow County.  In 1992 a group of EVHS ladies gathered to discuss sites in Bartow County that the county could lose if specific measures were not taken to save.  As a result of that meeting and with the help of our Commissioner, Clarence Brown, we received a commitment to save the old school on School Street and were given an office in the Gold-Domed Courthouse to assist with monitoring the Courthouse and other sites loved in Bartow County.

The original members of the committee were:  Lizette Entwisle, Emily Champion, Carolyn Parmenter, Susan Alexander, Dianne Tate, and Linda Parmenter. Together this committee decided that to highlight our many historic treasures in Bartow County a Tour of Homes would fit the society’s mission. In addition to the Tour, the committee introduced a historic signage program for homeowners. This program has increased a public awareness of the age and history of our many and varied period and styles of homes. The preservation committee was also an advocate for a city of Cartersville historic preservation ordinance. The city now has five historic districts.

Since 1992 the preservation committee has assisted in research of historic sites, continued the historic signage program, and planned the Tour of Homes.  John Lewis chairs this long-standing EVHS committee with members Genie Certain, Susan Alexander, Dianne Tate and Sally Tonsmeire.

Information on the signage program is available at the EVHS office.

Research Resources
Chaired by: Sam Graham 

Speakers’ Bureau
Chaired by Joe Head

EVHS offers a wide selection of ready history lectures for schools, churches, civic clubs and other community groups that have a need for such programs. These presentations may include Power Point, artifacts, displays videos and other media to assist in the program.

Tour of Homes Committee
Chaired by: the Preservation Committee

Since the first EVHS Tour of Homes in 1983 EVHS has highlighted our plantation homes on the river as well as early homes in the county and city of Cartersville. Beginning in 1993 the preservation committee has sponsored a bi-annual tour of homes the first weekend in November. The Tour of Homes has always had a theme or recognized an area to promote the history of the area and homes.  Early themes have included “Harvest our History,” “Salute to Mining,” “Christmas Tour,” and the recognition of historic districts and their contribution to the area’s history.  The Tour always begins at the Gold-Domed Courthouse with vans available for guests and events to compliment the Tour.

Website Committee
Chaired by: Steve Ward

In 2024, EVHS partnered with Lara J Designs to redesign our website. The committee included Joe Head, Steve Ward and the team at Lara J Designs. The website is much easier to navigate now, has a brand new look, and is mobile friendly. The website continues to have updated content added all the time including Bartow Author’s Corner, Schools, Churches, Communities, Photo Galleries, and so much more.

In 2012, EVHS partnered with True Moss Designs to reconstruct our website. The project was first led by Carol Gray and Tom Etheridge. The website was updated in late 2015 by Joe Head and Scott Cooper, webmaster to include a new graphical Theme, portals, content and processes including a link for Research and Archives to allow local authors a means for posting articles. The site continues to feature the highly innovative Bartow History Scholars program, Oral Histories of local personalities interviews embedded in a YouTube Gallery and a new Facebook site.

IT Committee:
Chaired by Steve Ward, Tim Poe, Monique Artry Clouse

As EVHS continues to expand its range of on – line membership services to deliver Bartow’s stories, it became necessary to create a pool of technical talent. The committee also consists of Treasurer  Steve Ward, Social Media director Debbie Head and former Treasurer Larry Posey.