Fort Valley State University

The Anderson House is Fort Valley State University’s oldest building and houses the Biggs Collection. The Museum and Welcome Center is located on the corner of University Drive and Wright Street, across from Saint Luke Episcopal Church. The Center provides an official reception area for visitors to the university. Stop by for information about the university, its programs and actitivies.

Vision Statement

The purpose of the Anderson House is to serve as a viable university and public information center that responds to the education and facility usage needs of small groups by providing a welcoming atmosphere of learning.

Mission

To enhance the visibility, usage, learning and research opportunities for Fort Valley State University and its external community.

The Welcome Center Provides

• Admissions applications
• Scholarship information
• Brochures about programs or majors
• Class schedules
• Campus maps
• Tours

The Anderson House Museum is open for tours from

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: 1p.m. - 5p.m.
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 9a.m. - 1p.m.
For more information or to schedule a tour call (478) 825-6445.

Admission: Free

The Anderson House is sponsored in part by a grant from the GrassRoots Arts Program administered by the Macon Arts Alliance and by support from the Peach County Tourism Committee.

About the Anderson House

Anderson House was the residence of F.W. Gano, one of Fort Valley State University’s founders. It is the oldest facility on campus. Fort Valley State University historian, Dr. Donnie Bellamey, places the building’s construction in the late 1800’s. This colonial Dutch revival style was a popular architectural design for rural cottages of that era.

The house was renovated in 1918 and served as the family home for principal Henry A. Hunt, President Horace Mann Bond, and President Cornelius V. Troup. It was named in memory of Benjamin S. Anderson, who served as Professor of Agriculture during the institution’s early years.

The main exhibits and displays come from the Biggs Collection of period furnishings, silver, glassware, china, quilts, linens and civil war memorabilia. The majority of the items date from about 1860 to 1900. The English Victorian furniture outfitted the parlor, dining room and bedrooms of an antebellum home in Box Springs, Georgia, which still stands today.

The contents of the home were bequeathed by the plantation owner to Mr. Biggs’ grandmother, who was a slave.

The Smithsonian Institution sought to obtain the quilts and antiques for its permanent anthology of historical collectibles, according to Mr. Biggs. However, he chose to donate the entire collection to Fort Valley State University in 1991.

Director Berry D. Jordan

A retired government administrator, Berry D. Jordan serves as coordinator of the Anderson House Museum and Welcome Center. “This appointment affords me the opportunity to acquaint a larger audience with the growth, stability and positive visibility of FVSU and its extensive offerings,” said Jordan.

The Anderson House was created by FVSU Founder F. W. Gano and is the home of the Biggs Collection of period furnishings from 1860 to 1900. The building is undergoing renovations and will become a first stop for prospective students. Visitors will learn the history of the university and take home applications. Jordan’s lifelong affiliation with FVSU makes him an ideal campus ambassador.

Jordan grew up on FVSU’s campus and was the first infant used to train childhood education students. The FVSU graduate has a Bachelor of Science in social sciences and earned a Master of Arts in urban administration from Georgia State University in Atlanta. Memberships in organizations such as Omega Psi Phi fraternity, Sigma Pi Phi Boule and Central Union Baptist Church in Fort Valley keep this avid community leader busy.

Jordan brings to FVSU more than 25 years of experience in federal government. He was the Robins Air Force Logistic Center director of Equal Employment Opportunity. He is the past chairman of the board of directors at the Warner Robins Rainbow House, current chairman of the board for Volunteer Houston County and is a lifetime member of the FVSU National Alumni Association. Jordan has received numerous awards, including 20 consecutive years of superior performance evaluations in the federal government.

Jordan is married to former Army Capt. Cheryl McNeil-Jordan and has four children.