OAKWOOD — Oakwood wants residents’ old photographs, as well as its stories about long ago days in the South Hall city.

The city is teaming up with Gainesville State College to produce a DVD documenting Oakwood’s history and is planning an October debut.

Mayor Lamar Scroggs announced plans for the "Oral History Project" Monday night at City Hall.

Rebecca Homan, an archivist in Gainesville State’s library, joined Scroggs in the announcement.

The project "ties the college into the community," Homan said. "We’re glad to be here."

The library will serve as the repository of old photographs and mementos to be considered as a part of the documentary.

Oakwood is "rich with century-old stories about living in a small town," Scroggs said. "Our story will be unique in that it will be told by our own people, in their own words and to the best of their recollections."

Residents can bring their memorabilia to City Hall at 4035 Walnut Circle or to the Gainesville State library, which is off Mathis Drive. The college is off Mundy Mill Road.

They also can contact Rainmaker & Associates, a public
relations firm in Gainesville developing the project with Oakwood. The firm is conducting interviews with residents.

Costs haven’t been determined for the project, but Sammy Smith of Rainmaker & Associates said the city would pursue grants to help underwrite the efforts.

Scroggs said he’s afraid "we’d lose all our history" unless such a project is undertaken.

A black-and-white photograph of a white clapboard school no longer standing in the city stood on an easel between Scroggs and Homan at Monday’s announcement, serving as an example of the kind of artifacts city officials are looking for in the project.

The six-room school, which housed 200 students, was built at the turn of the century and burned decades ago. The photograph was taken in the 1920s.

City officials started developing the project earlier this year, but "we have been discussing this for a long time," Scroggs said.