Adrian is located smack-dab on the Emanuel-Johnson County line, but the majority of the commercial district is in Johnson County. Locals joke that in one church the preacher gives his sermon from one county to his congregants in another. But one thing that’s no joke is that Adrian is a very friendly town…and if you ever find yourself there for lunch, stop by the Farmhouse Cafe, which is known for its homemade cat head biscuits. The lace bread isn’t so bad, either!
David Miller writes: I remember when Mrs. Ernest Avery had a cafe in that corner building. I still remember the good smells coming out the door as I walked home from school when I was a kid. I have good memories of that street when it was open for business- Mr. Thurmond Cook’s Dry Goods, Mr. Milo Wammock’s grocery store, Dr. Aubrey Harrison’s drug store, Mr. Milo Mimbs barber shop, the post office with Mr. Bennie Frank Wammock, just around the corner Chapman’s grocery and in earlier days Mr. Joiner’s store on the side street. To the left on the picture is a glimpse of the old ice house run by Mr. Giles. The old theater (first movie I ever remember seeing there was Ma and Pa Kettle) later became the cricket house for J.C, Hutcheson. Adrian was a great place to grow up. And I believe that it still is!
I remember when Mrs. Ernest Avery had a cafe in that corner building. I still remember the good smells coming out the door as I walked home from school when I was a kid. I have good memories of that street when it was open for business- Mr. Thurmond Cook’s Dry Goods, Mr. Milo Wammock’s grocery store, Dr. Aubrey Harrison’s drug store, Mr. Milo Mimbs barber shop, the post office with Mr. Bennie Frank Wammock, just around the corner Chapman’s grocery and in earlier days Mr. Joiner’s store on the side street. To the left on the picture is a glimpse of the old ice house run by Mr. Giles. The old theater (first movie I ever remember seeing there was Ma and Pa Kettle) later became the cricket house for J.C, Hutcheson. Adrian was a great place to grow up. And I believe that it still is! -David Miller
Mrs. Ernest Avery was my grandmother and the smells were just as good in her house. I loved all of those stores when we would go visit as a child.
My great uncle’s name had an unusual spelling: Aulbry. Same as my middle name and also the person for whom he was named, his uncle Aulbry Peddy, who lived just outside of Adrian in the late 1800s before moving to FL to start a lumber mill. Great, great Uncle Aulbry Peddy’s farmhouse was in ruins, but still standing on Highway 57 the last time I drove through. Most of the Peddy family lived near the Harrison family on the outskirts of Donovan. Uncle Aulbry’s brother, Jutson, owned Harrison’s Pharmacy in Swainsboro, until he retired and my father, Mills, bought it. Daddy’s cousin, Russel, bought Uncle Aulbry’s store and ran it until he passed away. My Grandma, Marie Harrison lived there, as well as my Great Aunt Lucille Harrison, who was married to Uncle Aulbry. (Two sisters married two brothers: Marie Mills married Jimmy Harrison then Lucille Mills married Aulbry Harrison). Grandma, Uncle Aulbry, and Aunt Lucille were active members of Adrian Baptist Church for many decades. My Grandaddy, Jimmy, was gassed in the Argone Forest during WW I and died young. He ran my Great-Grandaddy, Willie T. Harrison’s, farm up by Buelah Baptist Church near Wrightsville and Donovan. I have a picture of Grandpa Jimmy standing on Main Street in Adrian with snow all over everything following a snowstorm a couple of years after WW I. He was in his 30s, but looked about 80 due to months on end of trench warfare in Germany in 1918.
Forgot to mention:
Daddy’s cousin, Russel Harrison, was another of Uncle Aulbry’s nephews. Uncle Aulbry’s brother Harville Harrison lived in Adrian and passed away when I was really little. His wife, Russel’s momma, Mrs Gertie Lee Harrison lived in Adrian for many years and passed away when I was in high school in the late 1960s or so.
I am from Adrian, Ga currently in Newark, TX working been 6 months since I have been home. Thanks for the pictures good job.
Glad you enjoy them…
I love the pictures and wish there was a way that these “old” thing s could be saved but I guess the idea of getting rid of the old and replace it with something newer is the going thing. Keep up the good work. I live in Montezuma, Ga and I know of some of the ones you have pictured.
I have some “Vanishing South GA” photos that I would like to share. Is that possible?
Email them to me, Laurie…I can’t make any promises, but I’d love to see them…