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"BEAUTIFUL VIEW"

by John Harvey

As I was thinking over possible ideas for a column this week, I found that I had three or four ideas in various stages of development but nothing ready for this week. Then as I turned on the Atlanta Highway (Ga. 11) as I was going home for supper, the column for this week spread out before me.

From the top of the hill, the view is beautiful. On the far left, the water tower on Frobel Street shines in the afternoon sunlight and on the far right, the smaller tower at Georgia Pacific frames the view. In between lies most of Monticello. Through most of the town is hidden by trees, there are some landmarks visible. The old water tower, known to most of us "the standpipe" can still be seen above the trees. The spire of the Methodist and Baptist Churches can be seen and at the right angle you can see the courthouse with it's clock, and the Civic Center. If you look closely, you can see the flashes of white that are houses.

Most of the identical view can be seen from Georgia 212 from about the same position out from town. Most of us remember having seen this view most of our lives and take it for granted. Many times it takes some of the "new folks" in the county to remind us of what a view it is.

There is another side to this view that most of you don't see. If is the view that we "night people" see. We see it late at night as we are coming home from work. The sheriff's deputies see it as they are making their patrols. On most summer nights there are three and sometimes four large pools of light connected by little chains of street lights.

On the extreme left is a large pool of light at the high school denoting that a group is playing a late game of tennis or that the softball game is going into extra innings. On the extreme right on Friday or Saturday nights the lights mean that someone is still at the little league field. In between the large pool of light straight ahead if the town Square, and the larger pool of light at mid-right is from Georgia Pacific.

On cloudy nights when the pools of light are more pronounced, the view can look like a chain with four large diamonds placed along it. Whether you see it in daytime or at night, it is beautiful.

Additional Comments:
Transcribed by Suzanne Forte (suzanneforte@bellsouth.net) April 2005, from copies of articles contained in the Monticello News. There articles were prepared by Mr.
John Harvey and published in this newspaper during the 1970's and 1980's time frame. Some were under the title "Jasper Reflections", others "Bicentennial Bits".
Permission has been granted by Mr. Harvey for use of these very valuable and informative articles.

Copies of articles provided by Benny Hawthorne.