Category Archives: Danburg GA

Anderson House, Circa 1865-1870, Danburg

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John L. Anderson was the fourth generation of his family to live in the Danburg area, and upon his return from service in the Civil War, bought the land on which he would build this fine home. It is a massive presence and its landscaped grounds are a symbol of this small community. The house is late Greek Revival with strong Victorian details.

Our friend Tom Poland, a well-known writer from the area, said this about the house in his essay on Danburg: …the Pink Anderson House, a place mom remembers well though she never went inside. This stately home on the National Register of Historic Places is a Greek Revival home. It most likely incorporates an earlier building Dr. W. D. Quinn erected in the 1790s. So says the research. John Anderson later built the home as it appears today. The home’s columns came from Savannah, the mirrors and cornices from England. New York and Chicago provided the home’s fine furniture and curtains. A 24 x 35 foot banquet room and stone kitchen stood in a separate building connected to the main home by a breezeway.

The last Anderson to live in the home was Miss Pink Anderson, thus my mom’s reference to the place as the Pink Anderson home. Miss Pink lived there during the Great Depression. Money was beyond tight and the formal gardens and fountain vanished as vines and undergrowth took over.

The home sat empty for many years until 1962 when mom’s Uncle Ernest Walker bought it and remodeled it. The roof of the old kitchen and dining room had fallen in, leaving the walls standing. Down they came, demolished.

...It’s beautiful. The home and its columns squarely face the road. A large holly and magnolia contest each other for space and both conspire to hide one of the columns gracing the home. A classic white picket fence fronts the building, which sits right at the edge of Highway 44.

The Anderson House is generally thought to be influenced by and therefore grouped with three other nearby houses thought to be the work of John Cunningham, an area carpenter with special skills. [The Willis-Sale-Stennett House, in the Danburg vicinity, the Chenault House, and Matthews House, in nearby Lincoln County]. Cunningham was gone from the area by 1861 and a Danburg tradition states that a so-far-unknown black carpenter directed the building of the Anderson House.

National Register of Historic Places

Danburg School Gymnasium, Circa 1920s

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The old Danburg School is standing, but not accessible as it is on private property. The gymnasium is visible from the road. The school was built in 1926 and this structure is typical of gymnasiums built between circa 1920s-1940s. Football wasn’t nearly as dominant in the first half of the 20th century as it is today and basketball reigned supreme in smaller communities. This would have been a busy place in its day, though by 1944 the school was consolidated with Tignall.

Hiram Lodge No. 51, F. & A. M., Danburg

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This vernacular Greek Revival lodge of the Free & Accepted Masons is a nice rural landmark. There aren’t a lot of lodges of this style in Georgia. This one has been slightly modified, appearing to be “stripped” of some of its elements [perhaps a front porch; the entry has also been reduced in sized] but is still a great representation of the form.

Major’s Store, Danburg

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This general store, identified by Doris Rhodes as the John Major’s Store, appears to be the older of two stores standing in Danburg. When viewed beside the Lindsey Store, it’s also a good example of differences, even with one style, that can be found in vernacular architecture. Both stores are of the shotgun variety, but this store is characterized by higher walls and windows, as well as a greater depth.

It originally featured a shed porch and had a gas pump out front. A 2008 Google Street View of the location confirms this architectural change.

Lindsey’s Store, Danburg

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This store is one of two still standing in Danburg. Doris Rhodes identified it as Jim Lindsey’s store in the Vintage Wilkes County group on Facebook.

Danburg Monolith

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This monolith of Elberton Blue Granite is located near the crossroads in Danburg. It’s a fairly unusual monument considering its progressive views on African-Americans. I think it’s a great landmark.

TOP: The Village of Danburg was settled circa 1825 by Samuel Danforth of Vermont and Massachusetts at this intersection of two important trade routes, the Augusta Road into North Georgia and the Abbeville, S.C. Milledgeville GA Road. The original name of the village was Danforthtown. Amongst the families settling early in the village were the Andersons, Danforths, McLendons, Reabs, Shumates, Stathams, Suttons, Waltons and Wheatleys. They quickly created an atmosphere of education and cultural refinement, and the village was long a noted regional social center. This memorial to honor the village is erected to the Glory of God and in memory of Walter Lee Sutton 1863-1947 by his obedient grandsons WLC CDS JSS CES, Jr

FRONT: In Memory of the Loyalists of 1776– Loyal to the triple aegis of the British Crown, British Constitution and the Church of England, violence inevitably forced them to either take up defensive arms, faintheartedly join the Revolutionary cause or depart. The victorious have been recognized; let the worthy vanquished be equitably honored.-Omnia Ad Dei Gloriam

LEFT: In Memory of the Ante-Bellum & Confederate Leaders 1800-1865-The honesty and integrity of their leadership in civil life and the courage and endurance of their leadership in war represent a quality of leadership rarely since equaled. If their ideal of slavery was undoubtedly unjust, the quality of their public service was superb.-Omnia Ad Dei Gloriam

BACK: In Memory of the Veterans of the 1914-1918 War and the 1939-1945 War-Twice in this century men from the village went with American contingents to the assistance of Great Britain, our Motherland and her ally France, both engaged in a deadly struggle with Prussian militarism – Hitlerism. The sacrifices of these countries which gave us time to arm ourselves and of our men who served leave future generations yet deeply indebted.-In Memory of the Veterans of the 1950-1953 Korean War and the 1965-1973 Vietnam War-Our debts to these veterans are equally vast, for their sacrifices were too often undervalued by the public at the very time they were being made. Omnia Ad Del Gloriam

RIGHT: In Honor of the Black Citizens of the Village–Entrapped involuntarily in a system of servitude until 1865, they were thereafter entangled with the white citizens in a system of cotton-tenant-farming that exploited both through 1945 for the advantage of northern industrial capitalism. Both bondages were born by the black citizens with incredible fortitude, patience, and humor.-Omnia Ad Dei Gloriam

New Ford Baptist Church, 1832, Danburg

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New Ford Baptist Church began as a white congregation circa 1795, and typical of the times, had African-American members until the Civil War. It should be pointed out that the these men and women were almost certainly enslaved and therefore had no input as to their religious choice but at least in the case of this congregation, they embraced their church. The structure seen here was built in 1832 and purchased by Black members, who retained the New Ford name, in 1879. The two front steeples were added much later, likely the late 19th century.

It is the most historic African-American congregation in Wilkes County and the landmark structure and well-manicured churchyard and cemetery are exceptional. It is a truly inspiring place.

Danburg Baptist Church, 1870s, Wilkes County

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Danburg Baptist Church has its origins in one of the oldest congregations in the state. Established as Newford Baptist Church, a few miles from this location on the banks of Newford Creek, the church later changed its name to New Ford. In its early history, Black members attended, holding separate services. This was a common practice before the Civil War and by the late 1850s, Black members accounted for nearly 75% of the congregation.

In the late 1870s, white members of New Ford built this church near the Danburg crossroads and renamed their congregation Danburg Baptist. Black members purchased the New Ford church and retained the name of the original congregation.