Field Notes

As part of ongoing efforts to preserve the history of the Bruce Street School, DeKalb County’s first Black public school, we have worked with community members to record a series of oral histories from former students. The first of these interviews comes from Ms. Allene Harper, who still lives in Lithonia today: You can learn […]

The Bruce Street School Juneteenth webinar: The Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance and Martin Rickles Studio recently hosted a virtual community meeting on ongoing efforts to reactivate the Bruce Street School. Following months of public engagement, this event featured updates on the current status of the conceptual design, an overview of the work that has […]

Paddle Details: Registration is now open for the June South River paddle, a relaxing 6.5 mile trip along the National Heritage Area’s marquee waterway. Escape from the summer heat and spend a day on the river as you float from Lorraine Park Trailhead to Oglesby Bridge Road. Some kayaks and gear are available, but sign […]

Father’s Day is this Sunday, June 19 (falling on the same day as Juneteenth this year). Here’s a breakdown of a few ways to spend your Father’s Day in the NHA: 1. Father’s Day fishing at Alexander Lakes: Spend Sunday afternoon fishing with the family! Taking place at Alexander Lakes. Some equipment available on a […]

Event Details: In honor of Juneteenth, the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance and Martin Rickles Studio will offer a virtual project update on the ongoing creation of a conceptual design for the reactivated Bruce Street School, the first Black public school building in DeKalb County. The event will take place from noon until 1:00pm on […]

Summer is here, and the outdoors are calling. Luckily, there are a variety of National Parks open around Atlanta and beyond, not to mention Georgia’s wonderful State Parks. Here are some of the sites you may enjoy:  1. The Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area: We have to start with this one! The AMNHA connects a […]

By Sally Sears, Co-Founder of the DeKalb Beloved Naturalist Program “If these rocks could talk…” we might better understand our natural world. That was a lesson for the founding class of DeKalb Beloved Naturalists on May 21, 2022 at Arabia Mountain. In front of a photograph of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr at the foot […]

Birdwatching is a great way to get outside and enjoy the National Heritage Area while also practicing social distancing. Here are some tips for getting outside and enjoying the NHA’s beautiful bird life:  Start a list. Many birders like to keep a list of the birds they have seen – it’s a fun way to […]

There are over 34 miles of trails for biking at Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, stretching from historic downtown Lithonia all the way to the Monastery of the Holy Spirit. The trails are an important part of the community and are well-designed to create a family-friendly environment for thousands of joggers, walkers, bikers, and skaters […]

With summer upon us, it’s time to get outside and enjoy some calm and quiet in the National Heritage Area. One of the best ways to do that is to bring your gear and enjoy an afternoon fishing! Here’s a breakdown of our fishing sites.  Note that all sites requrie a valid State of Georgia […]

May 18th, 2022 marks 60 years of the National Natural Landmarks program, which recognizes sites that conserve America’s rich natural heritage. There are over 600 National Natural Landmark sites across the country, including, here in the National Heritage Area, Panola Mountain.  What are National Natural Landmarks? The National Natural Landmarks program was created in 1962 […]

The process for shaping the conceptual design of the future of the Bruce Street School is almost over – and there’s one more chance to participate! Mimicking the format of our final in-person engagement session, this form offers the draft Consolidated Conceptual Design Scheme. Fill out the form here.   After months of in-person and […]