Agriculture is the largest contributor to Georgia's economy, and the foundation of the state's tradition and way of life. Visitors and residents to the 1996 Olympic Games will have an opportunity to experience Georgia agriculture at the Georgia Agriculture '96 exhibit in Centennial Olympic Park.
The exhibit, called the Georgia Agricultural Living Legacy, will sit on a quarter-acre plot in the north end of the Park. Featuring row crops such as cotton, peanuts, tobacco, onions, peach trees and ornamentals, the display will provide a living learning experience about Georgia crops and livestock.
The living exhibits were designed and grown by agronomists at the University of Georgia and Fort Valley State College. Careful planning by agricultural specialists will allow Park visitors to see the plants in various growth stages. Specialists will be on hand throughout the Olympic Games to explain how the plants grow and produce food and fiber.
Visitors will see animal replicas from some of the state's largest livestock industries through Animatronics, an automated look-alike system. They will learn about the forest industry through video and hands-on exhibits.
The Georgia Agricultural Living Legacy will be enclosed in a wood-frame structure, with wood decking and metal roofing similar to a typical barn. Around the outside of the structure visitors will see the names of Georgia agriculture's supporters on commemorative, engraved bricks.
The centerpiece of the Georgia Agricultural Living Legacy is a 28 x 28-foot marble sculpture of the state made from native pink and gray marble. The monument will remain after the Games as a lasting legacy to the important place agriculture has in Georgia's history and future.
Less than two percent of the population produces all of the food and fiber for the U.S. population. Visitors to the Georgia Agricultural Living Legacy will learn how crucial Georgia agriculture is to the state, the nation and the world.
Georgia Agriculture '96 is a consortium of 21 agricultural
commodities, agribusinesses and agricultural learning institutions
working to promote Georgia agriculture during the
Centennial Olympic Games.
| Closing Ceremony of the 1996 Games involved a crew of 2,100 who worked with more than 3,500 performers as well as thousands of athletes who celebrated on the field of Olympic Stadium. |