Women's Comfort Station

Women's Comfort Station. . Constructed in 1908, the Women's Comfort Station served as a bathroom and place of shelter during extreme weather. The Men's Comfort Station, located next to the African American Burial Grounds and Potter's Field, was completed the same year. Comfort stations were common features in public parks in the early twentieth century but rare in cemeteries. Oakland's comfort stations are believed to be the first constructed in Atlanta still in existence., Years of neglect and damage from a tornado in 2008 left the Women's Comfort Station in critical condition. In 2018, Historic Oakland Foundation began fundraising to restore this significant structure. Restoration efforts included repairs to the historic buff brick masonry, complete reconstruction of the brick and stone parapet roof, re-laying a portion of the one-of-a-kind mosaic floor, and replacing the ceiling system. Historic Oakland Foundation completed restoration in 2019. The structure now houses revolving exhibits on Oakland history, architecture, and gardens. Appraised at $1,200 when originally completed in 1908, the Women's Comfort Station provides an invaluable window into Oakland's history and enriches the cemetery landscape., Working at Oakland Cemetery , Ida Borders, one of Oakland's first female employees, began working at the cemetery in 1912. She maintained the Women's Comfort Station for visitors. As an African American woman, Borders could not expect to use the facilities she cleaned. The racial segregation of public spaces, including Oakland Cemetery, continued until the 1960s when the City of Atlanta banned segregated public facilities. Working six days a week, Borders earned $.80 a day as a comfort station attendant. She also worked as a clerk and gardener. When she left Oakland in the 1930s, her daily wage was $1.75. She died in 1937 and was buried in Buford, Georgia. By maintaining the grounds and facilities, Ida Borders and other cemetery workers made Oakland a more attractive and popular destination for recreation and reflection., Caption: The Women's Comfort Station in the 1970s., Learn more about the process of restoring the 1908 Women's Comfort Station and other restoration projects at oaklandcemetery.com.