Main Stage: James and Dorothy Otwell Theatre
James A. Otwell and Dorothy Hamrick Otwell founded Andean Motor Co. on March 23, 1948, on a dirt road in Cumming, GA. They chose the name incorporating their daughters' middle names: Patricia "Anne" and Sara "Dean". Previously, the Otwells owned Cumming Motor Co., which sold new Chevrolets and used cars in the early 1940s. Mr. Otwell gave up on the franchise when he went to Huntsville, AL to work as a civilian chemist during World War ll.
Mrs. Otwell taught in the Forsyth County Schools for 25 years, as well as served as bookkeeper for the dealership. Mr. Otwell was an astute businessman who took care of his employees and treated them like family. He served in the Georgia House of Representatives in the early 1950s and mid-1960s, allowing him to help the citizens of Forsyth County in various ways.
Mrs. Otwell served on the Cumming Council as the first woman elected to that position in the 1950s. Both were active in the community with memberships in the Kiwanis Club, Garden Club, PTA, and at First Baptist Church, serving as Sunday School teachers and other positions.
