Media release from the Rome Area Heritage Foundation:
The Rome Area Heritage Foundation (RAHF) recently highlighted two interconnected local landmarks at its annual Membership Event, while honoring the institutions that have given them new life and preserved their history for future generations. The Sunday afternoon social, which featured RAHF’s annual Preservation Awards, took place earlier this month at the Rome-Floyd E.C.O. Center.
Almost immediately following its local observance of Historic Preservation Month, RAHF honored two entities as champions of historic preservation: the City of Rome, for its community partnership and the restoration of the Myra H. paddle boat; and the Rome-Floyd E.C.O. Center, for its stewardship and renovation of the historic Oostanaula River pump station.
RAHF’s Preservation Awards are nominated and chosen by the organization’s board of directors. Past recipients have included individuals, business owners, and organizations representing every corner of Floyd County.
“Every historic resource — whether a building, an artifact, or a landmark — has its own unique personality and represents the stories of our past and present,” said Don Walls, co-president of the RAHF board of directors. “It is our duty to educate and engage others in protecting the historic places that have shaped our diverse cultural experience, inspiring people to save the past while enriching the future.”
The Myra H. is a 60-foot by 14-foot paddleboat constructed in 1932 for Pierce Harris. Named for his daughter and powered by a 1928 Buick engine, the boat once sailed Rome’s rivers. After being donated by the Harris family in the 1980s, the vessel moved between several locations, including the Chieftains Museum and the Lock and Dam.
After years of exposure to the elements, a dedicated citizens group — including Bob Harris, Jimmy Lovelace, former assistant city manager Jim Dixon, former community development director Ron Sitterding, and the late Dennis Nordeman — began formal planning and other efforts to stabilize the boat in 2017. Following a restoration that salvaged as much of the original structure as possible, the project concluded in 2021.
With the support of the City of Rome, the Myra H. was relocated to its permanent home at Ridge Ferry Park in March 2022. It is now preserved under a covered pavilion, offering residents and tourists a window into river travel from 90 years ago. Rome mayor Jim Bojo accepted the Preservation Award on the City’s behalf.
Built by the city in 1893 as a freshwater pumping station for the Oostanaula River, the structure originally supplied water to the filtration complex atop Jackson Hill. Thanks to a 2006 SPLOST package, it was renovated into an interactive educational space — a vision attributed to Jim Dixon more than two decades ago.
The E.C.O. Center (named for the Etowah, Coosa, and Oostanaula rivers) saw significant upgrades in 2011 and again in 2025, when a SPLOST-funded expansion added a ground-floor entrance, elevator, new learning spaces, and a gift shop. Since opening 15 years ago, the facility has welcomed more than 100,000 students from all over the region. Environmental educator and program administrator Sarah Johnson accepted the Preservation Award on the Rome-Floyd E.C.O. Center’s behalf.
“Gatherings like our Membership Event remind us that preservation is not only about protecting buildings and landscapes — it is about strengthening the community connections that give those places meaning,” said Jonathan Gilreath-Harvey, co-president of the RAHF board. “The E.C.O. Center provided a thoughtful and fitting setting for a program rooted in stewardship, education, and a shared love for the history and natural beauty of our region.”
Proceeds from membership drives and sponsorships support RAHF’s preservation initiatives, grants, and scholarships. Over the past year, RAHF has advocated for the restoration of the Historic Floyd County Courthouse, hosted the Between the Rivers Christmas Tour of Homes, partnered with the Downtown Development Authority on historic plaque initiatives, and supported conservation efforts at sites like the Historic Sardis Cemetery in Coosa.
“It is an honor to recognize those who use their influence to ensure we do not lose our precious history,” added Walls. “We are grateful for the ability of these efforts to unify our community.”
Individuals and businesses interested in supporting the heritage of Floyd County can join or renew memberships at www.RomeAreaHeritageFoundation.org/join. For more information, follow RAHF on Facebook and Instagram or visit www.RomeAreaHeritageFoundation.org.
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