March 17, 1933 — An advertisement gave readers hope economic vitality would return during the Great Depression after the stock market crashed in 1929.
Two banks, The First National Bank and Citizens Banking Company, took out a full-page ad in The Hartwell Sun to tell readers in big, bold type “We Have Faith!” The advertisement praised President Franklin Roosevelt’s actions. It also said the banks were confident the country would persevere and “emerge on a sounder foundation.”
“Under the leadership of President Roosevelt the country is re-establishing faith in the country and in our people, and it is the patriotic duty of every citizen to create confidence, radiate faith, and join hands with their fellows and follow the lead of the President in the march back to safe, sound, normal economic conditions,” the ad said. “We feel that a new and better day is coming if every citizen will do his part in restoring confidence, and to that high end we summon you to join us and the citizens of your community in doing our part in co-operating with the Government in its plans to restore prosperity.”
March 24, 1966 — Amid a nationwide desegregation of schools, the Hart County Board of Education was set to meet in a special meeting to discuss actions going forth with the new directives from the federal government.
School officials indicated at the time that Hart County would engage in a “free-choice” plan to meet the requirements of the law. Any system that didn’t comply with the guidelines would see a loss of federal funding.
The new guidelines also required faculty desegregation through integrated staff meetings as well as actual desegregation of the school staffs.
March 17, 1993 — The “storm of the century” didn’t stop Hartwell city officials from formulating and implementing an emergency plan.
The Hartwell Sun reported “blizzard-like” conditions paralyzed Northeast Georgia and dumped four to six inches of snow in Hart County, but local public service workers implemented a plan to assist those in need.
Power went out in several residents’ homes around 8:30 p.m. and they notified officials who acted swiftly. Fire Chief Terry Vickery and EMS Director Dan Yeargin began coordinating people and places to set up staging areas that would be used as shelters in the event the situation became more intense.
The hospital was considered an ideal location due to its emergency power source and the cafeteria. That and other buildings were on standby if the weather worsened and if people required emergency shelter.
Power was restored by 10:30 p.m. that night and the situation never required emergency action, but the city was ready thanks to the county’s recently formed Emergency Management Agency that formed a plan quickly.