By Ginger Aldrich, Atlanta KC historian and archivist Oct 4, 2025

Efforts to Preserve Atlanta KC's Early History

This month marked significant progress in our ongoing search to uncover the stories from the early days of the Atlanta Kennel Club (KC). A special thanks goes out to CJ Favre, Lisa Favre, Jerry Cerasini, and Paul Chiarovano for joining me in Alpharetta, where we began sorting through the many boxes of club records stored since the 1960s. While we’ve made a strong start, there is still much more to do. Anyone interested in helping us preserve our history is encouraged to reach out and join this important work.

We are planning visits to the Atlanta History Center to examine ten boxes of records discovered there, which come with a complete, detailed inventory. Most materials date from the 1940s to the 1990s, but some reach back to the very beginnings of the club, including the original charter. The anticipation is high to see these foundational documents. Unexpectedly, we also came across a 1916 charter from the Secretary of State, listing the board members of that era—a veritable “who’s who” of Atlanta’s business and social communities. We hope the earliest charter will reveal the names of our original founders, whose identities have been lost to time until now.

Notable Early Members and Their Contributions

Among the names we have researched so far are those found in the 1914 show catalog, kindly provided by the AKC archives as their earliest record of our club. That year’s show was managed by George Foley of Foley Dog Shows, which later merged into Moss Bow Foley after his passing. We have contacted MBF in hopes they may have additional historic catalogs in their archives. Like all shows of its era, the 1914 event was benched.

• George Winship Nunnally: Nunnally’s name is still prominent in Atlanta today thanks to the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, established in his honor through a donation from his grandson. His business expertise helped develop the aviation industry around Atlanta, and in 1929, he became a founding director of the Atlanta Aircraft Corporation. Born in 1875, Nunnally was the son of James H. Nunnally, founder of the Nunnally Candy Company, which first marketed boxed chocolates in 1884. His mother, Cora Winship, was a cousin of the Woodruff family. The Nunnally company expanded its business by selling root beer and later Coca-Cola products at soda fountains, further boosting its success. George Winship Nunnally was active in charitable endeavors, particularly in arts and education, and made substantial donations to universities and cultural institutions, including Emory University. He passed away in 1975 at age 90 and is buried at Atlanta’s Westview Cemetery. In 1914, Nunnally served on the Atlanta KC board and show committee, and early shows were held on his Peachtree Street lawn, a home now recognized as a historic Neil Reid design. Nunnally candy boxes were given as prizes at these shows, and his breed, Bulldogs, was listed in the catalog and won at the event.
• Joe Brown Connally: Serving on the Atlanta KC board in 1914, Connally was born in 1875 to a family of Georgia pioneers. He reached the rank of Captain in the National Guard and acted as personal guard to three Georgia governors. Connally died in August 1920 at Ft. McPherson military hospital, succumbing to effects of gas exposure from the Argonne Forest campaign in France during World War I. He is interred at Oakland Cemetery.
• O. Chestnut: Chestnut was a 1914 board member and a well-known Atlanta businessman and civic leader, involved in industries such as real estate and insurance. He played a vital role in community development and was especially recognized for his advocacy for the African American community, civil rights, and social justice. His efforts helped improve education and economic opportunities for marginalized groups. The catalog records Collie entries under his name, including a brace.
• M. Stephenson: President of the club in 1914, but no additional records have been located for him thus far. Further research is needed to uncover more about his background. Mr. & Mrs. Stephenson entered 2 collies, Dan O’Woodlawn price $300 that won the class and CH Southport Aristotype $1500 placed 2^nd. Some dogs seemed to be available for sale?
• Meyer Rubenstein: Rubenstein served as second Vice President and bench show committee chair in 1914. He belonged to the family that founded Rubenstein’s department store at 209 Peachtree Street, a popular shopping destination for Atlanta’s women at the time. The store’s location today is opposite the Peachtree Plaza Hotel and currently houses a “Hooters.” The Rubenstein family entered Collies and Pomeranians in the show.
• Henry S. Courtney: Courtney was Secretary and Treasurer of the club in 1914 and co-owned McFarlan Motor Co., acting as Southern dealer for McFarlan cars with partner A.C. Field. The show catalog included an advertisement for the Courtney-Field Motor Company’s automobiles.
• Stewart Witham (1889–1962): Witham, an Atlanta lawyer and 1914 board member, lived in a notable neo-Georgian mansion at 2922 Andrews Dr NW, built in 1926 and designed by Neel Reid. Known as the Witham-Clark house, its U-shaped layout, pavilion, and landscaped grounds remain historically significant. Photos of the residence are available.

We are thrilled to be learning so much about these early leaders, whose high standards helped shape our club and its membership. The catalog lists more than 80 members and 18 board members from this era. We cannot wait to see who the original board members were in 1900!  We will be showing the full copy of this historic document in a presentation soon.

Ongoing Research and Historical Show Sites

Our research continues as we comb through old newspapers for references to Atlanta KC shows, aiming to fill gaps across many years. So far, we have located records from the years 1912, 1913, the 1914 catalog, 1915, 1919, 1920, 1922, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1936, 1938, 1946, 1949, 1972, and 1997. We are seeking volunteers to assist with documenting details, as our current access to newspaper archives is limited to brief references and excerpts due to the lack of a paid subscription. Our objective is to obtain copies of each article, complete with photographs, to establish a comprehensive and permanent record of our history.

We also discovered information about several previously unknown show sites. The earliest known show, believed to have been held in 1912, took place on the front lawn of Winship Nunnally’s Peachtree Street home, with the club secretary overseeing the event. There is also a reference to Piedmont Park as the location of some of Atlanta’s first dog shows, even before the club was officially organized in 1900. Another early site may have been the property now called the Piedmont Driving Club.

Additional show venues throughout the years have included the Atlanta City Auditorium, Shrine Mosque, Lakewood Market, Carling Brewery (our earliest known site), Stone Mountain Park, Atlanta Raceway in Hampton, Wills Park for many years, the Atlanta Expo Center for fall shows, and, for at least the last 36 years, the Georgia National Fairgrounds.

Growth and Leadership in Dog Sports

Over the years, our shows and events have developed into one of the largest and most respected gatherings in both the country and the Southeast. This remarkable growth reflects the dedication and vision of our founders and early members, whose commitment set the foundation for our success. Their high standards continue to inspire us as we move forward.

I am confident that those early leaders would be proud of the progress we have achieved together. It is my sincere hope that we will maintain this legacy, consistently serving as a model of responsible leadership—both in the promotion of dog welfare and in fostering excellence within the realm of competitive dog sports.

What will next month uncover ?

Please contact me to be a part of the preservation team and let me know if you would like to be included in a visit and lunch  to the Atlanta History Center on West Paces Ferry.

[email protected]