Cataula is one of the oldest settlements of present-day Harris County. It has had a post office since 1836. It experienced a good bit of growth when Georgia’s first narrow gauge railroad, the North & South Railroad, came through the area in 1870, but that endeavor was short-lived. There are varying versions of the origin of the name. One source (Kenneth Krakow) says it’s a variation of the Muscogee word kitali, meaning withered mulberry. An earlier variation of the origin is found on a Georgia Historical Society marker placed in 1958 that ascribed it to the Creek word for “Big Rock”. I’ll just leave it at that, as I’m not an authority on either.
This building, which was built in 1908, was originally known as the J. W. Thompson & Son General Mercantile Store. Many other businesses have been located here over time, and it’s still in use today, albeit not as a general store. New road work and rapid urban growth in the area are having a serious impact on this quiet little community. This structure and the Methodist Church are among the most noticeable landmarks in the area and hopefully will be around for years to come, but it appears other nearby structures will be lost to the current road-widening.
The 2nd floor had an undertaker/ on the 2nd floor , I was visiting there back in the 60s when Mr and mrs Simpson had purchased it, I remember it had a an old safe , I found several old coins under the safe ,but being just a 7 yr old ,some adult tricked me out of the coins , and btw it was a general store back then
This is a great looking building for a general store. I wonder what the second floor was used for. Probably a storage area?
The little church by the big rock was the original Baptist church, originally named Rehoboth Baptist Church. It was founded in 1838. The name has been changed several times in recent decades. J.W. Thompson was my grandfather, and I grew up working in this building when it was our general store. The store was established in 1888, and, yes, this was the large new building in 1908. – Mary Sue Thompson Polleys