Wilbur George Kurtz, who became known nationally as a Georgia artist-historian and a foremost authority on the Old South, humerously counted himself a "transplanted Yankee." Born February 28, 1882 in Oakland, Illinois, reared in Greencastle, Indiana, educated at DePauw University and the Art Institute of Chicago, Mr. Kurtz' origins and upbringing were Midwestern. As a young artist in Chicago he worked as a draftsman, engraver, professional illustrator, and specialized in architectural rendering. He first saw Atlanta in 1903, when he journeyed South to interview Andrews Raid participants. The "quiet, pleasant town, full of churches, where they rolled up the sidewalks at dark every night," captivated him. He moved to Atlanta in 1912. His home was "right next to a Civil War battlefield," and he embarked on an amazing lifelong quest for history, within a region rich with unrecorded history. Mr. Kurtz became technical advisor for three notable Hollywood motion pictures which treated Georgia themes: Gone With The Wind (1939); Song of the South (1946); and Walt Disney's The Great Locomotive Chase (1957). TNP Fine Art Gicleé Reproductions. http://www.tnpprint.com/giclee/kurtz/bio.htm Retrieved 3/13/2009.
From the description of Annie Laurie Fuller Kurtz collection, 19uu. (University of Georgia). WorldCat record id: 314147866
