Georgia Historical Society Re-erects Charles Herty Historical Marker

Staff Report From Middle Georgia CEO

Thursday, January 5th, 2017

A historical marker for one of Georgia Military College’s most distinguished graduates and one of America’s most outstanding chemists has been re-erected. On December 9, 2016, GMC’s Engineering Department replaced the old historical marker for Charles Holmes Herty located on the front campus of Georgia College on Hancock Street where Herty was born. The original marker was produced by the Georgia Historical Society in 1983. There was an error brought to the attention of the Georgia Historical Society by GMC’s Library staff and former United States Department of Defense official, Mr. Powell A. Moore, who is also a GMC Alumnus. The new marker now correctly states that Herty attended Middle Georgia Military and Agricultural College, which was renamed later to Georgia Military College.

Herty attended MGM&AC from 1880-1884 before entering the University of Georgia as a junior. After completing a PhD at Johns Hopkins, Herty returned to Georgia in 1891 to work as an assistant chemist at the Georgia State Experiment Station and to serve the faculty at the University of Georgia. He developed a method of harvesting resin so that pine trees were not killed in the process. He also developed a method of making pine pulp into paper. His developments led to the so called “Pine Barrens” to become a productive area of the state, bringing an economic boost to Southern Georgia. The first football field at the University of Georgia is still known as Herty Field for his efforts in 1892 in organizing the first football game played in Georgia.