Gate Cottage Reopens
At a recent Ribbon Cutting ceremony sponsored by Toccoa Falls College and the Stephens County Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Wayne Gardner relived what it felt like to receive the early morning call saying that Gate Cottage was on fire and more than likely would be a total loss, “I felt like I had lost an old friend. I was away from the college and when I arrived back on campus the next day and saw the destruction, my eyes filled with tears. Memories came back to me of the days when my office was upstairs in Gate Cottage. I also realized that not just our alumni had lost an important historical structure, but so had the citizens of Stephens County.”
Within two days of the fire, so many notes containing memories had been received by the college concerning Gate Cottage that Gardner and the college’s trustees were prompted to make a promise: Gate would be rebuilt. Not only would it be done quickly, it would have a remarkable resemblance to the former one—the one that the National Youth Administration (N. Y. A.) group had built in 1938. This is the same Gate Cottage that often ends up on state brochures along with the falls, which remains one of Georgia’s most visited tourist attractions.
As soon as the rubble cooled, college work crews moved in and began removing as much of the original stone facade as could be salvaged to be reused for construction on the new building. Gate’s yellow-hued stone is iconic to the Toccoa Falls College campus. It is a building that everyone remembers—a place where wedding receptions were held as well as important board meetings. Its stone is native to the Toccoa area and a familiar site to all who have spent time at Toccoa Falls.
“While the loss was great last year, today we rejoice,” said Gardner, “because Gate Cottage has indeed been rebuilt.” A new cathedral ceiling will provide more natural light into the building. The gift shop reopened this week and will include regional gifts and the college’s bookstore.
Flickr
Twitter
Facebook