Georgia Magazine - February 2023 - 17

Top left: The Flat Rock Archive preserves the history of rural African Americans so that it can be shared
with future generations. Above: Interpretive signs explain the history and legacy of Flat Rock, which is the
oldest African American community in DeKalb County.
The Flat Rock experience
Within the larger landscape of the AMNHA, the Flat Rock
property includes the T.A. Bryant Sr. Homestead, a cottage built
in 1917 that now houses the Flat Rock Archive's documents and
historical artifacts, plus a barn, smokehouse and outbuildings
also constructed during the 20th century. The site also encompasses
the Historic Flat Rock Cemetery, which contains graves
dating back to before the Civil War, and the circa-1820 Lyon
Farmhouse. As one of the oldest standing historical houses in
DeKalb County, the farmhouse is a key to the history of Flat
Rock and the experiences of enslaved people who lived there.
" The Flat Rock experience is about honoring living history, "
says Revonda Cosby, executive director of the Arabia Mountain
National Heritage Area Alliance, which protects, connects and
shares the history, culture and landscapes of the AMNHA. " You
can see the history at Flat Rock. You can hear it. You can feel it.
Flat Rock is a small story that did big things for others. "
T.A. Bryant's former home was donated to the Flat Rock
Archive by his son, Rev. T.A. Bryant Jr., and his daughter, Zilla
Bryant-Guthrie.
Inside the homestead are documents that tell a story of
strength, perseverance and selflessness, including the deed
showing T.A. Bryant Sr.'s purchase of 40 acres for $600 that was
instrumental to the survival of the Flat Rock community.
MORE
www.georgiamagazine.org 17
ARABIA MOUNTAIN
NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA
National heritage areas are places where sites of historical
and natural importance intersect with landscapes where people
live and work. The Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area
(AMNHA) spans 40,000 acres of the Georgia Piedmont region and
is one of 55 such areas in the country.
There are many sites and activities for visitors in the AMNHA,
including:
* The Arabia Mountain PATH, a network of biking and hiking
trails built by the Atlanta-based PATH Foundation that covers
more than 30 linear miles;
* Atlanta Wild Animal Rescue Effort, a nonprofit facility in
Stonecrest that rescues and rehabilitates sick or injured wild
animals, provides tours and encounter programs to meet the
center's ambassador animals, which include owls, hawks,
possums and turtles;
* Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve in Stonecrest,
home to rare, native plant species as well as exposed granite
formations, wetlands, streams, lakes and pine and oak forests;
* The Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, including the
Monastic Heritage Center and the Abbey Store, which sells food
products produced at the monastery; and
* Panola Mountain State Park in Stockbridge, offering archery
classes, geocaching, tree climbing and camping.
For more information, visit arabiaalliance.org.

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Georgia Magazine - February 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - February 2023