This nicely maintained home is typical of Queen Anne forms found in rural communities all over Georgia, which are characterized by less ornamentation than their slightly more decorative contemporaries.
Queen Anne Cottage, Arabi
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Category Archives: Arabi GA
R. A. Bedgood House, 1894, Arabi
Having last photographed this local landmark in 2009 [see the history of the house and a vintage photograph here], I was determined to get some photos before it is lost forever. I understand that the most recent owners began restoration efforts in the 1990s and were unable to complete the project. I believe the house could, and should, be saved, even in its present state. [I have included the date of 1894 after consulting two sources; it may have been built slightly earlier and I’ll update if I learn more].
A gazebo, which is likely of later construction, remains on the property.
The most interesting dependency, however, is this unique structure just to the left of the house. It is believed to have been Mr. Bedgood’s home office.
Worley House, Circa 1914, Arabi
Anne Carol Burke writes that this was the home of her great aunt, Edna Worley.
Richard Albert Bedgood Monument, Arabi
Richard Albert Bedgood (13 August 1847-4 February 1904) was the founder and namesake of Arabi, Georgia. Bedgood enlisted in July 1864 in Company G of the 7th Georgia Infantry, Wilcox County. A life-size marble monument marks his gravesite in historic Arabi-Antioch Cemetery.
From Historical and Genealogical Collections of Dooly County Georgia Vol. III : Richmond A. Bedgood, an enterprising business man of Arabi, was born Aug 3, 1847 in Washington County, Ga. He was the son of a farmer, Henry Bedgood, from whom he was separated by death in 1856. The boy received a very limited education, enlisting in the seventh Georgia Militia in 1864, when he had scarcely completed his seventeenth year. Since the war closed, Mr. Bedgood has engaged in farming and has a large sawmill and a successful business in Arabi. He is a respected member of the masonic fraternity. The first wife of Mr. Bedgood was Elizabeth Brown, whose father was the well-known Maj. Brown of Cordele. Mr. Bedgood’s second wife was Susan Clements, daughter of J. J. Clements of Dooly County. He is the father of four sons and five daughters, one of his sons, John H., being his father’s partner in business.
R. A. Bedgood House, 1894, Arabi
This was the home of R. A. Bedgood, namesake and founder of Arabi. Thanks to Frances Fisher for the identification.
This is a view of the house, probably made soon after it was built. [Courtesy Arabi City Hall]
Arabi’s namesake, Mr. R. A. Bedgood, and family, date unknown. [Courtesy Arabi City Hall]
Arabi, Georgia
The building pictured above was still operating as a country store when I made the photograph. It’s probably one of the oldest stores in the area. Dianne Morgan Thompson shared some great memories of Arabi: I grew up and lived in Arabi all my life until I married and moved away. There are some fond memories packed away in that hometown. I wished you would contact some of the kids from the older merchants that were booming in 1959 and 1960’s. One of the favorite hang outs was the McKinney’s Drug Store. There was an old gas station which was the main place for gas on the left side of the road just as you came into Arabi from the North and an old grocery store on the left just as you enter from the South. Both were on the curves as you entered this once quiet little town. Long been torn down as many places are that would have been a landmark, like the Bedgood house. T. Graham Brown, aka Tony Brown, lived there as a child across from the Methodist Church and we were family friends for as long as I can remember. There was a train wreck there in early 1960’s that Tony, Ronnie Morgan (my brother) and I stole washing powders from and got in big trouble. As I grew up my sister, Elaine and I had the first convertible in town and every teenager that was friends and not wanted to cruise around town with us. My daddy bought it when we were 13 and 14 years old so we couldn’t go far but we felt like a pair of queens. The Arabi Baptist Church was on front street until late 1960′ and then move in the old Arabi High School building which it remains today. I was the first person to marry in this new Church in 1968. Yes, all of the young’uns are gone or moved away that have the best memories of the town of Arabi.
The building on the left was a post office. I’m not sure about the other one. Bradley Waters notes that his father was postmaster here from the 1950s until he retired in 1985.
Vanishing Georgia: Photographs by Brian Brown 