The Georgia Trust For Historic Preservation is accepting nominations for its annual Places in Peril list. Some historic structures that appeared on past lists have been restored while others continue to await rebirth.

The annual list serves as a catalyst to restore abandoned or dilapidated buildings.

Mark McDonald heads the Georgia Trust. He says one of its top successes was overhauling the Mary Ray Memorial School in Coweta County. Alumni led the effort, and now use the school as a community center.

Other buildings, however, languish. McDonald says one such building is a former Presbyterian church from the 1890’s in Lexington.

“Lexington is a small town of a few hundred people," he said. "The building is a good shape but it doesn’t have a congregation anymore. So it’s just really difficult to come up with a solution to that kind of building.”

In Bartow County, a planned road threatens another site: the Dobbins Mining Landscape.

Henry Parkman is part of efforts to save the 19th century manganese mine. He says the alloy is in steel, and the mine was part of war production during World War I and II.

“The Dobbins Mining Landscape represents the oldest, most productive manganese mine in Georgia," he said. "It was one of the oldest mines in the country. It opened up for production just after the Civil War.

The Trust will be accepting nominations until June 3. It began its annual list in 2006.

Tags: Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, places in peril, Dobbins Mining Landscape, Mary Ray Memorial School