CUMMING -- Library visitors can take a stroll down Forsyth County memory lane via a new permanent art exhibit at the Cumming library.

The branch, located at 585 Dahlonega Road, displays two historical murals created by local artist Bryan White and a segment of fence from the old Mary Alice Hospital.

The exhibit was made possible by a grant from the Forsyth County Arts Alliance Fund at the North Georgia Community Foundation and Citizens Bank.

Some of White’s past work has won awards in state, regional and national competitions, including an exhibit at Disney’s Epcot.

He created artwork for the Post Road library, making his Cumming exhibit his second collection highlighting the history of Forsyth County.

“From the very start, the Library Board members and I wanted to make sure the artwork had a historical connection and provided an interactive approach to the viewers,” White said.

His murals display two photo collages that include 76 distinct pictures joined together on a field of historical newspaper clippings, prescriptions, hotel registers and store ledgers.

“From a small county seat in a small county in the 1950s, Cumming and Forysth County have become one of the most desirable places to live and work in the country,” said Mary Helen McGruder, chairwoman for the library board. “While we continue to celebrate our successes, it is also helpful to be reminded of those who worked hard and had a vision for a better place for their children and generations to come.

“We are reaping the benefits of those who fought to bring Lake Lanier to north Georgia, to build Ga. 400 and to bring business and medical facilities to our community.”

Longtime residents will recognize landmarks that have been renovated, restored or torn down over the years. The old Forsyth County Hospital on Samaritan Drive is featured in the upper right corner of the first mural.

That building still stands, but today it serves as a home for several community-based service organizations, including Forsyth County Community Connection, Whispering Hope Women’s Resource and Pregnancy Center and Forsyth County Head Start.

A photo of the front entrance of the first Goodson Drug Company sits in the bottom right corner of the same mural.

The pharmacy first opened on the Cumming square in 1959 and has been family-owned and operated since. A portrait of founder Jim Goodson is located near the store’s image.

The second mural expands past the community’s medical pioneers, highlighting other key historic businesses, churches and construction projects.

The most notable image is the groundbreaking ceremony at Buford Dam that launched the construction of Lake Sidney Lanier. Photos of the event and subsequent excavation projects are featured along the bottom edge.

Local business, including Dairy Queen, Parsons Gifts, Ingram Funeral Home and Bagwell & Mathis Tire also found a spot in the mural. These businesses still operate today, though their buildings and locations have changed throughout the years.

Newcomers to the area will enjoy a glimpse of small-town history with pictures of the courthouse that burned in 1973, the Bank of Cumming that has since been acquired by successively larger banks and even the county’s first jail that was built in 1893.

“Patrons can learn more about the history of medicine, commerce or government in Forsyth County by accessing the source materials the artist used to create the exhibit,” said Denise Leeson, manager of the Cumming Library branch.

“Many of those resources are housed in the library’s local history reference collection, and books by local authors Annette Bramblett and Gladys Barrett were vital to the creation of the murals.”

The Historical Society of Forsyth County assisted in research efforts, while the city of Cumming and the Heritage Village at the Cumming Fairgrounds arranged access to several historic artifacts pictured in the exhibit.

The library board’s McGruder said the next exhibit will be established at the Hampton Park branch to highlight the development of the poultry industry in Forsyth.

Bryan White’s exhibit is viewable during regular library hours.