11 replies to this topic

[stipeeyes]

I'm not sure if this was posted or not.


ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Authorities working to turn a railroad into a trail say they will bypass a landmark trestle made famous by Georgia rock group R.E.M., which featured a photo of the train bridge on its "Murmur" album.
Officials tell the Athens Banner-Herald (http://bit.ly/uHfP3b) that they decided to reroute the rail-trail around the trestle due to the high cost of restoring it and its dilapidated condition.
Athens-Clarke County bought the trestle for $25,000 in 2000 after then-owner CSX Transportation partially tore it down, sparking an outcry from local preservationists and R.E.M. fans around the world.
A 2009 engineering study deemed the aging wooden trestle too unstable to support a trail. Since the trail will now go around it, authorities said the trestle will remain in its present condition for the time being.
___
Information from: Athens Banner-Herald, http://www.onlineathens.com

[Kelly A]

Well, if it's unsafe then it's unsafe, but I worry about a waning interest in keeping it standing.

[MurmursAdministrator]

I did a long interview with the Wall Street Journal around this. I don't know when they are running it.

[High_Speed_Train]

MurmursAdministrator, on 16 January 2012 - 08:45 PM, said:

I did a long interview with the Wall Street Journal around this. I don't know when they are running it.

http://online.wsj.co...0673324908.html

[Sweden]

High_Speed_Train, on 05 February 2012 - 10:50 PM, said:

http://online.wsj.co...0673324908.html

The strange thing about that article is that it completely overlooks the argument that the trestle structures are interesting remains of Georgian railway history. As much as I like the trestle, to save something just based on the argument that it appeared on that back cover is not necessarily relevant, and it also opens up the whole campaign (to save it) to much criticism. I sort of agree with Sandy Phipps there.

I feel somewhat differently about the steeple, but also there find it difficult to argue based SOLELY on the R.E.M. connection. It's also an iteresting architectural remain which certainly is a nice little twist to that area.
All the R.E.M. related artifacts and remains together though, do probably still serve a purpose to attract visiting fans from all over the world. Not sure for how long though.

[stipeeyes]

I think fans may visit for a long time to come still. R.E.M. has a good bit of fans who still want to make the Pilgrimage.  I know I'll eventually go back to Athens again.   For instance The Smith's broke up in 1987 which is wow 25 years ago this year. Their fans still travel to Manchester all this time later.  Their fans go and visit the places they played or where a venue used to be, just as R.E.M. fans do in Athens.

[Sweden]

stipeeyes, on 06 February 2012 - 06:12 AM, said:

I think fans may visit for a long time to come still. R.E.M. has a good bit of fans who still want to make the Pilgrimage.  I know I'll eventually go back to Athens again.   For instance The Smith's broke up in 1987 which is wow 25 years ago this year. Their fans still travel to Manchester all this time later.  Their fans go and visit the places they played or where a venue used to be, just as R.E.M. fans do in Athens.

I will hopefully also come to Athens again. I would be sad if the steeple or trestle aren't there anymore, but it would be nowhere near a deciding factor to go back or not. I would go there for the people I've met, the live music and the nice little place that town is. While I did go to the steeple back in November I didn't go to the trestle this time around. If I did it would probably have been for a stroll around the Greenway, not to take another picture of the trestle.

There may be a few fans who still haven't been there but who would want to, and I'm not sure the trestle or steeple being gone would deter them from going.

Again, as much of a fan that I am, and I can ensure you I've checked most of the strange little places in Athens that have the tiniest connection to the band, but I just think the shrine aspect of keeping stuff around simply because it appeared on an album cover or something essentially undermines a bigger discussion to keep interest historical remains in Athens. I mean, would you argue that the concrete/kudzu thing on the front cover of Murmurs should be kept intact for the same reason?

/D

[wagtail]

hmm, I think the trestle was my favourite thing about Athens.  I didn't like Athens as much as most REM fans seem to,  in fact on my first day there, the place gave me the heebee-jeebees quite badly and the only think that prevented me leaving is that Atlanta is even worse.  Anyhow, it was going down to look at the trestle that kinda changed my mind a little bit about the town....I spent ages by the river there, and I like the history walk that you can do, I learnt quite a lot about the history of the town via the river actually - a whole bunch of stuff I wouldn't have known if I hadn't gone down to see the trestle.

I think it's weird that the locals don't much care for the landmarks associated with the music scene, in Australia we are so deperate to feel like we belong to this country that we grasp on to any bit of history we can - that's how it seems to me anyway.

[Lori]

Michael Stipe maybe could cast the trestle in bronze, that should keep it standing for a while longer.  Just wishful thinking.

[stipeeyes]

Sweden, on 06 February 2012 - 07:27 AM, said:

I will hopefully also come to Athens again. I would be sad if the steeple or trestle aren't there anymore, but it would be nowhere near a deciding factor to go back or not. I would go there for the people I've met, the live music and the nice little place that town is. While I did go to the steeple back in November I didn't go to the trestle this time around. If I did it would probably have been for a stroll around the Greenway, not to take another picture of the trestle.

There may be a few fans who still haven't been there but who would want to, and I'm not sure the trestle or steeple being gone would deter them from going.

Again, as much of a fan that I am, and I can ensure you I've checked most of the strange little places in Athens that have the tiniest connection to the band, but I just think the shrine aspect of keeping stuff around simply because it appeared on an album cover or something essentially undermines a bigger discussion to keep interest historical remains in Athens. I mean, would you argue that the concrete/kudzu thing on the front cover of Murmurs should be kept intact for the same reason?

/D

I agree.  One of the things that  keeps me going back to Athens is the food.  I'm a vegetarian so when I eat at the Grit I'm in my glory.  I've eaten at quite a few vegan/vegetarian restaurants that are very good.  But none of them compare to the Grit or have so much to choose from. I also love the history and find myself feeling more peaceful and calm than anywhere I've been.
When Ethan did the campaign to raise money for the Trestles, it was great they prevented the rest of it from being demolished but they didn't use the money to repair it.  They only used it for another party to buy it.

If the Steeple and Trestle are literally falling down perhaps they should tear them down.  It would be sad but its better than it eventually falling on someone.
Now they are more worried about that strip mall being built.  It really would threaten the independent businesses.  I hope they can somehow put a stop to it.  It's a shame these commercial chain stores have to keep being built because it puts others out of jobs and forces them to close their shops down.

[Driver Nate]

I think the main concern about the Walmart is that there are already two in Athens so most folks don't think there's any need for one in the downtown area. I know the Protect Downtown Athens site takes a broader look at development in that part of town in general but when Patterson Hood was speaking out against Walmart during the Drive-By Truckers' recent homecoming shows at the 40 Watt, the emphasis seemed to be on the former statement.

[High_Speed_Train]

Cameron McWhirter, the author of the Wall Street Journal story was interviewed today at Soundcheck, a weekday radio show of New York's WNYC. Listen to that interview here: http://www.wnyc.org/...r-rems-trestle/