VALDOSTA — The Crescent will host “Cruisin’ at the Crescent,” a fashion show to help fund renovations and repairs to the mansion, which serves as headquarters for several local garden clubs.
The event will be held 6:30 p.m. June 20.
Fashions will be provided by Kollier & Co. There will be door prizes, heavy hors d’oeuvres and other merriment.
Tickets are $45 and may be purchased at Kollier & Co.(cash or checks only, at their store) or at the Crescent, 904 N. Patterson St., 1-4 p.m. Wednesday-Friday (the regular tour hours). You may also call or text (229) 834-7179 and your call will be returned, or visit the Crescent website, https://thecrescentvaldosta.com, and click on Shop. Garden Club members are also selling tickets. No tickets sold at the door.
The Crescent has been a jewel for Valdosta ever since it was built in 1898-1901. William S. West had it built for his wife, Ora Lee Cranford West. Prominent in the community, they were dedicated to public service, philanthropy and sharing their good fortune. Mr. West became a state senator, chairman of that office, and was instrumental in getting the approval in 1913 for establishing a college to Valdosta, South Georgia State Normal College. He became a US Senator in 1914. He also donated the land for the college, as well as for Drexel Park. The college eventually became Valdosta State College and later Valdosta State University.
West died in late 1914, at 65 years, survived by his wife, son and three grandchildren. The family’s fortune was wiped out during the Depression. The Crescent house was divided into several apartments in the 1930s and ‘40s to make ends meet. Unfortunately, they could not keep up with the heavy costs of this 20+ room mansion and grounds and sold it so some local businessmen, who planned to demolish it and use it for their business purposes, rumored to be an automobile business and parking lot.
Three prominent ladies in the Valdosta garden clubs couldn’t stand for this and rallied support and funding from citizens and businesses to buy the Crescent and properties in 1951. They saved it from the wrecking ball and have continued raising funds to restore and renovate it as the home of the garden clubs. It has been The Garden Center, Inc. ever since, solely owned, maintained and operated by this group of six garden clubs.
Although on the Historic Register, the Crescent is a non-profit 501c3 corporation.
Its only sources of funding are donations and rentals for various kinds of events.
“Many extraordinarily expensive repairs have been made over the years, especially the last five, and the Crescent is in the best shape it has been in for a long time,” a Garden Center spokeswoman said. “However, we are currently faced with the necessity to replace all of our original 39 beveled, leaded glass windows on the three floors. They were expected to last for 60 years, but have lasted for 125. Costs are at least $2,000 per window and it is a lengthy process, with the only historic artisan within the surrounding several states for the leaded glass in Athens, Ga.”
Tickets are selling fast now, and seating is limited, so make your plans to come out and support the Crescent on Thursday, June 20, at 6:30 p.m. The show begins promptly at 7:30 p.m.
If you cannot be there, all donations are always appreciated, organizers said, and tours of the building are welcome during normal business hours.