In this season of gift-giving and thanks-giving, the Haralson County Historical Society is pleased to announce release of its first high-quality video via the Internet, celebrating the blessing of the Historic Courthouse in Buchanan, today a popular community center, and home to the Buchanan-Haralson Public Library. No viewing fee is levied, but contributions to the Society remain welcome.

This video recounts the re-dedication of the restored building, focusing particularly on renaming of the upstairs courtroom after the late Judge James R. Murphy. The judge, who served there ¹,   was confined to a wheelchair. The ceremony recorded celebrates the advent of elevator access in the building, that people likewise constrained might thereafter have easy access.

A copy of the brochure describing the program ahead of time can be found at: http://hchistory.com/building/courtroom

The motion picture is hosted on the Internet's World Wide Web at: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3938885636044096280

Alternately, one can go to http://video.google.com and search for the word "Haralson".

The computer and Internet connection requirements are detailed at: http://video.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=26553 Basically, you need a contemporary PC with Macromedia Flash Player (version 7.0 or later) installed within your Web browser. If your Internet connection is not consistently faster than 500 kilobits per second, to avoid jerky playback you must pause playback until enough of the video is downloaded in advance. Additional playback help can be found online at: http://video.google.com/support/bin/topic.py?topic=1487

Five computers in the Buchanan-Haralson Public Library include "desktop shortcuts" to make playback especially easy. Simply click on the shortcut labelled "Courthouse re-dedication". Optimal playback is available on computer 7, located in the lobby. Reduced quality playback can be had on older computers, numbers 3 through 6, located in the main reading room. To hear the soundtrack, you can borrow a headset from a librarian, or bring a standard 1/8"-audio connector unit from home.