The Daily Citizen, Dalton, GA

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  • J.W. "Red" Edwards calls the auction during the Spring Place Festival Saturday morning. Matt Hamilton/The Daily Citizen

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  • Archeologist Russell Cutts talks to a group at the Spring Place festival about pottery designs by Native Americans Saturday. Matt Hamilton/The Daily Citizen

    Spring place fest 4 mlh.jpg

  • Jyana Smith bags up toys purchased by John David Spivey, 9, during the Spring Place Festival Saturday morning. Matt Hamilton/The Daily Citizen

    Spring place fest 1 mlh.jpg

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August 21, 2010

Action fast at Spring Place Festival auction

Jamie Jones jamiejones@daltoncitizen.com

DALTON — SPRING PLACE — Bidders beware.

If you happen to fan yourself or scratch your head at the wrong time during the Spring Place Community Festival’s auction, you could end up with any number of items — appliances, books, chairs, rugs — because when the action gets fast and furious, auctioneer Red Edwards is in a giving mood.

“You bidding or fanning, ma’am?” Edwards queried a woman sitting in the crowd.

“Fanning!” she exclaimed.

The Saturday festival, sponsored by the Spring Place Ruritan Club and the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society, celebrated Spring Place’s heritage and raised money for the continued preservation of the Old Spring Place Methodist Church, just off Ga. Highway 225 South. This year’s theme was “Digging up Spring Place Treasure.” The event featured archaeologist Russell Cutts, who was available to examine items unearthed by area residents. There was also a free archaeology activity for children.

The festival opened at 8 a.m. and ran through the afternoon. Members of the Ruritan Club held a bake sale with homemade cakes and desserts. Biscuits and hot dogs were also sold to raise money for the historic church. For the non-competitors, inside the air conditioned church was a market offering books, collectibles, historical society publications and flea market items such as cassette tapes, Christmas decorations, hats and toys.

The Keep Murray Beautiful Commission, the Murray County High School Alumni Association, the Murray County Red Cross and the had information tables. Local Boy Scouts helped with parking and other activities.

The highlight of the day for many was the auction. Edwards, the longtime festival auctioneer, kept the bidding action brisk, at one point telling the crowd, “We gotta keep moving. There might come a cloud.”

He also reassured the winners, telling multiple people, “You got the best buy of the day!”

Some items went without fanfare. A “brand new sink” (as Edwards called it — the sink was clearly used) received no bids and sold for $3. Other items were popular. Bidding for a collection of Civil War books started at $16 and ended at $33.

There were deals to be had. A $50 Savings Bond from Cohutta Banking Co. went for $30.  A $25 gift certificate to a local dry cleaner went for $17. A foot massaging tub went for $2.

“You’ll probably get to bid on it next year,” volunteer Tim Howard said. “This guy has a habit of bringing things back to the auction.”

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