One of several grand Queen Anne landmarks in Dawson, this home was built for George and Pearl Dozier.
Dawson Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Dozier-Flowers-Morris House, 1896, Dawson
Vanishing Georgia: Photographs by Brian Brown
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I am the daughter of Leila Horsley Flowers, who purchased the house on Church Street in 1946. She was the daughter of Jesse A. and Rosebud Horsley of 7th Avenue. (He owned and ran the Dawson Pharmacy for many years.) Mama married Wayland Parrott Flowers of Parrott, and they moved to Richland, where he owned the Suwannee Store franchise. Drafted at 33, he was killed in the Battle of the Bulge only months later, leaving Mama with three children: myself, Wayland, Jr. (of Wayland and Madame fame), and Lt. Col. James Pinkston Flowers.
The house in the picture had been used as a church for a number of years, and the winding staircase had been removed to make room for more chairs, we were told. Mama made several improvements – central heating for one. I grew up there until leaving for college at the age of 18. At first, Mama rented the upstairs to a young physician and his wife. Eventually, after the renters were gone, my room was on the second floor beneath the turret. At the time, the house had banisters only around the upper deck, but I suppose regulations have forced them around the lower level porch, as well.
I remember that anyone who had to do carpentry work in the house complained about the extremely hard wood floors, into which they could hardly drive a nail. They were heart pine planks, I think, about 5 inches wide. I am happy to see the old place being kept up – it should last another 150 years with care.
Thank you for reviving long-held memories. It is so sad to see Dawson in such decline, however. it was a vibrant town when I was there in the forties and fifties.
Frankie Flowers Van Cleave
fvcfax@runbox.com