From the past to present day, these prominent women of Woodstock, Georgia, have contributed to the area’s vibrant community in their own special way
WOODSTOCK, GEORGIA—FEBRUARY 2024—Located just 30 minutes northwest of the Atlanta perimeter on I-75/575, Woodstock is an unexpected destination offering visitors authentic and organic experiences including interesting dining experiences, unique shopping options and a thriving arts scene. Thanks to the hard work of many influential women in the community throughout the years, Woodstock is a robust destination full of energy, culture and opportunity.
Influential Women of Today
Meet Katie Caldwell, wife of Woodstock’s current mayor and longtime advocate for the arts in Woodstock. Serving as the current president of Woodstock Arts Board of Directors, Katie dedicates her work weeks to volunteering within the art community. With a mission to create relevant art experiences in Woodstock and engage the community everyday through the arts, Katie has expanded the Woodstock Arts Lantern Series and other Woodstock Arts programs, including events at the Reeves House Visual Arts Center and state productions of Woodstock Arts. Katie also serves on Woodstock’s Development Committee fundraising board and Community Engagement board.
Debbie Tidwell, a local artist and teacher, has been instrumental in the construction of Elm Street Arts Building, now Woodstock Arts, a cultural arts center offering world class performing arts productions, engaging art exhibitions, concerts, in-depth classes and exciting camps to North Georgia. Debbie has been calling Woodstock “home” since 1996 and her “Greetings from Woodstock” mural can be seen on the side of J. Christopher’s. Debbie’s passion for Woodstock is evident and her dedication to the art community can be felt throughout the community.
Bryttany Hyde, creative entrepreneur and founder of The Little Sober Bar, took the leap and opened her business in 2023. The first of its kind in Woodstock, The Little Sober Bar is a mobile bar bringing non-alcoholic drink options right to the consumer. Bryttany attributes her success to the warm, open community in Woodstock—which in turn offers more opportunity for entrepreneurs to thrive.
Founder of Pie Bar, Lauren Bolden has helped shape the Woodstock community through her entrepreneurial spirit and community engagement. With locations in Woodstock and nearby Marietta, Lauren pours herself into the community one pie at a time. From a booth at the local farmer’s market to two brick and mortar stores, Lauren credits the true and authentic community vibe of Woodstock with her success. To Lauren, Woodstock is a place where entrepreneurs can thrive.
Lori Baker, founder of Next Step Ministries, turned her passion into a business. Next Step Ministries, founded in 2009, is a 501c3 non-profit organization serving teens and young adults with special needs in Cherokee, Cobb and Fulton counties. As a physical therapist working in the school system in Cherokee county, Lori identified a need in Woodstock and took it upon herself to see that need was met. Having served on the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce, the Chamber’s Governmental Affairs Council and various other boards and organizations, Lori used her networking skills through her involvement in the community to make her dream a reality and in turn, serve the needs of her beloved community.
Woodstock’s influential women of yesteryear
Woodstock has also benefited from one family’s multiple generations of influential women. The Johnston family has a long history in Woodstock—and at one time, they owned most of the buildings that now make up downtown Woodstock. It all started with Florine Dial Johnston, an active member of the Woodstock community from her youth. In 1976, her son, Smith L. Johnston gave Cherokee County Board of Education 33 acres of land near the intersection of Old Highway 5 and East Cherokee Drive, in honor of her. It was a fitting tribute as Florine was a gifted and devoted teacher in Cherokee county.
Elizabeth Davis Johnston, wife of Smith L. Johnston, Jr., became a leader within the community and was instrumental in working with the Woodstock Junior Women’s Club in the organization of the first public library in Woodstock. She was passionate about local history and spent a lot of her time participating in projects with the Cherokee County Historical Society.
Jeanne Power Johnston carried on the Johnston family influence within the community. With a passion for teaching, she began her tenure as a librarian at Woodstock Elementary School in 1967, a position she held until her death in 1985. Additionally, Jeanne had a love for preservation of Woodstock’s history, a characteristic evidenced in her photography of the city’s historic sites and her participation in the publication of “Public Education in Cherokee County,” a history of the county’s schools.
Evelyn Whitmire Chambers, Woodstock’s first and only (as of yet) female mayor certainly had a positive influence on the community. Prior to her time in city government, Evelyn worked in the medical field and was part of the original staff at the Woodstock Medical Clinic, opened by Dr. Evan Boddy in 1962. Following her time in the medical field, Evelyn worked in city government before running for mayor. She served as mayor from 1984-1989 and spent her time in office making positive change for the community.
Other influential women of Woodstock include Edna McCleskey Haney. Edna was thought to have been Woodstock’s first female automobile driver. A fire destroyed her husband Dave’s barn, killing her husband’s favorite horses, leaving them with no means of transportation. Dave decided to replace the horses with a car. Salesman at the time were giving driving lessons to anyone purchasing a car and Dave insisted the salesman teach both he and Edna to drive or no sale. Edna had a passion for reading and graduated valedictorian of her Marietta High School graduating class. In 2013, the Elm Street theater group presented “Mizz Edna Drives on Main,” a play detailing her life. The play was written and produced by Gay Lora Grooms.
Edna Bramlett Hawkins was born in the north Georgia mountains and grew up in Woodstock due to her father working for the L&N Railroad. She is best known for her autobiography “The Path I Did Not Choose,” a book detailing the Woodstock of yesteryear. With a love for writing, Edna also wrote for magazines and newspapers, including columns in The Marietta Daily Journal. She taught creative writing classes, was a tour guide for ten years with the Marietta Travel Club and was the first woman in Georgia to serve on a grand jury.
Tessa Basford served as a city councilwoman and was instrumental in the implementation of the Greenprints Plan dedicating more than 60 miles of multi-use trails and open space in Woodstock and the surrounding area. A few years following her passing in 2014, the city of Woodstock renamed the Towne Lake Pass Trail to the Mary Theresa “Tessa” Basford Trail in her memory. In addition to her dedication to creating green spaces for all to enjoy, Tessa was an advocate for people with disabilities and served as a swim coach for Cherokee County Special Olympics. She also served as a board member of the Woodstock Public Safety Foundation.
Lastly, meet Juanita Hughes, a recognized researcher and writer dubbed Woodstock’s City Historian, has dedicated her life to preserving the city’s rich history. After raising her family, she embarked on a 20-year library career, culminating in managing the Woodstock branch, where her love for local history flourished. Throughout the years, Juanita continued her passion as city historian at the Woodstock Visitors Center and was actively involved in Preservation Woodstock’s efforts to keep the city’s heritage alive. Today, Juanita continues to contribute to preservation efforts on a volunteer basis.
Visiting Woodstock
Come for the arts and stay to experience so much more! Woodstock offers a variety of lodging options, spectacular dining experiences, shopping and more. Don’t miss dinner and rooftop views at Rootstock, known for offering farm fresh gourmet food, an impressive wine list, whiskey tastings and live music. Grab a local brew at Jekyll Brewing and pop in Findlay Rowe Designs Gift Shop and Boutique for that one of a kind find. Rootstock, 8558 Main Street, Woodstock, Georgia, 30188; 770-544-9009; Jekyll Brewing, 8634 Main Street, Woodstock, Georgia, 30188; 844-453-5955; Findlay Rowe Designs Gift Shop and Boutique, 102 Fowler Street, Woodstock, Georgia 30188, 770-926-9280
For information on annual events and year round happenings such as walking tours, seasonal markets and more, please visit VisitWoodstockGA.com/annual-events/ or make a stop at the Woodstock Visitors Center at Dean’s Store located in the heart of downtown Woodstock. Woodstock Visitors Center at Dean’s Store, 8588 Main Street, Woodstock, Georgia 30188; 770-924-0406