Gwinnett County acquired the Maguire-Livsey House, also known as “The Big House,” in the Promised Land community six-and-a-half years ago with plans to turn it into a historical park. But now county officials want more land from the Black family that gave them the house — and they’re planning to use eminent domain to get it.
The Livsey family acquired the Promised Land property more than a century ago and have been prominent members of the African-American community in south Gwinnett ever since. Thomas Livsey, who is now 93, even holds the title of being the unofficial “Mayor of the Promised Land.”
But, the Livsey family is accusing Gwinnett County officials of lowballing them on a price to pay for two adjacent pieces of property next to the Big House and, when the family wouldn’t sell, sending them letters saying eminent domain would be pursued instead.
“Gwinnett County had made (Thomas Livsey) an offer that ridiculous first of all, and when he didn’t accept it — and keep in mind he’s 93 — they came back with several documents indicating that there would be a meeting and after that meeting, it would be determined wether it was eminent domain,” said Sheryl Livsey, who is Thomas Livsey’s daughter.
The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners is set to vote at its April 25 public hearing meeting on whether eminent domain should be used to acquire the properties from the Livsey family. That meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center.
The fight over the two pieces of property carries racial undertones, however, because some members of the Livsey family and their supporters see it as a move to take the properties from a Black family rather than pay them a fair price for it.
“This has always been the practice,” said Chad Livsey, who is Thomas Livsey’s grandson. “It’s never about the diversity,…
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