An old, familiar sight from Railroad Street will soon be visible in the McDuffie Museum. Director Jenny Lindsey said the museum will be closed the second week of December for the reconstruction and installation of Jake McCord's front porch.
The late Mr. McCord is well-known in Thomson, where he retired two years ago after 39 years of cutting grass for the city. But Mr. McCord is more famous as a folk artist. He painted hundreds of large, bright works that hang in museums as far away as New York.
The paintings were a familiar sight to anyone who drove past his house on Railroad Street, as there were always at least two sitting on the front porch.
Ms. Lindsey and some volunteers are reconstructing the front porch in the main exhibit hall of the museum. All the materials to be used were taken from Mr. McCord's house, or the similar one next door, during their demolition in May. The houses sat on property that will become the home of the new City-County Government Center.
The porch will be used as a memoriam of Mr. McCord and to display works of local artists.
"Not only will it be used as a display for artist's works, but it also will be an interpretive tool for vernacular architecture in the area," Ms. Lindsey said.
The museum will be closed Dec. 4-11. For more information, call 706-595-9923.
