William Arthur Fickling, Sr. (1903-1990)
Fickling, a prominent local businessman, civic leader, and philanthropist, was the inspiration for the city’s most high-profile event, the annual Cherry Blossom Festival, a festival that brings thousands of visitors to the city each year and is recognized as the city’s premier tourist attrac-tion. Fickling discovered a beautiful blooming tree in his yard which not even his gardener could identify. On a trip to Washington, D.C., he discovered trees in the Tidal Basin identical to his own. He learned to propagate his Yoshino cherry tree. Over the years he contributed more than 180,000 trees to be planted in Macon.
Neva Jane Langley Fickling (1933-2012)
Wife of Fickling’s son, W.A., Jr., in 1949 Neva Jane Langley was a student at Wesleyan College. Chosen to be Miss Macon, Langley went on to become the only Miss Georgia to be crowned Miss America. A classically trained pianist, Mrs. Fickling resumed public performance after raising her four children. Fickling Music Hall in the McCorkle Music Building at Mercer University is named in her honor.