Someone from Dodge County recently reached out to me about documenting this historic school, located east of Eastman on Georgia Highway 46, and I was able to get a photograph of the side of the building. They identified it as the old Hendrix High School and stated it closed in 1957 when the Dodge County High School was built. It was possibly a comprehensive school, with all grades. That’s all I know for now. Rural schools were the norm until school consolidation in the 1950s and 1960s and many survive throughout the state.
Lovely Grove Baptist Church is a historic congregation in Dodge County. I haven’t been able to locate a history, but the earliest burial I found in the cemetery was circa 1866.
Detail of Tempest Storm’s grave, Lovely Grove Baptist Church
Thomas Wolfe titled his posthumous final novel “You Can’t Go Home Again” and the phrase has come to represent those who leave their small hometowns and go on to bigger things. Tempest Storm did come back to her roots in Dodge County, to the Lovely Grove Baptist Church graveyard.
Tempest Storm (29 February 1928-20 April 2021)
Tempest Storm, born Annie Blanche Banks on Leap Day 1928, lived a remarkable life far from her Baptist roots in Dodge County. She quit school in seventh grade, survived sexual abuse, and was married to a Marine in Columbus, Georgia, at age 14. This was an act of defiance, a way of liberating herself from her parents. She then married a shoe salesman, but left that marriage after six months, with a dream of stardom in Hollywood. At age 17, she landed a job in a Los Angeles burlesque review, making more money in a month than she could in a year back home, and changed her name to Tempest Storm.
Known as “The Queen of Burlesque,” she captivated audiences with her stunning performances that blended beauty, talent, and flair. Over her expansive career, she was a regular dancer in numerous western cities and went from seedy postwar strip clubs to mingling with celebrities like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, leaving an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. Storm’s vibrant personality and unique style not only set her apart from her contemporaries but also earned her a loyal fan base that cherished her artistry. Married four times, she embraced the complexities of love and relationships while continuing to grace the stage with her presence. Even as the years went by, she never truly retired from burlesque, choosing instead to adapt and evolve with the changing times, maintaining a connection to her roots. Her legendary career came to a close with her passing in Las Vegas in 2021 at age 93, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire dancers and performers worldwide.
This mural by Chris Johnson honors Eastman’s most famous business, Stuckey’s, which in its heyday had 115 roadside locations, employed around a thousand people, and sold $5 million worth of candy every year. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the founder’s granddaughter, Stephanie Stuckey, this legendary family business is still going strong.
It’s located across from the historic Southern Railway depot.
The timber boom that led to the settlement of Eastman was facilitated in large part by the opening of the Macon & Brunswick Railroad through the area in 1869. The East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railroad followed, before its absorption by the Southern Railway in 1894. This Victorian depot was built by the Southern Railway circa 1906* and remains one of Eastman’s most important public landmarks.
The depot, while not fully restored, is in good condition.
*- Sources vary as to date of construction. Some state it was built in 1906 and others say 1908.
These saddlebag cottages are great examples of this widespread vernacular house type and are largely unmodified, with the exception of the partial wraparound porch on the example above. They are located on adjacent lots.
Cottage No. 2
Most saddlebags I’ve documented have two doors on the front, but each of these examples feature a central doorway. My best guess as to a date of construction would be 1900-1920.
The Peabody School served the African-American community of Eastman, first as a comprehensive school and later as an elementary school. An earlier wooden school (also named Peabody) was located on the current Peabody School site. The earlier school burned in 1925. It is not known whether that school served the white or African-American community.
From the National Register of Historic Places: “According to a December 10, 1937 article in the Eastman Times Journal. “It has been recognized that the Negroes of Eastman should have a more satisfactory school building…” Plans for the new school were drawn by E.C. Hosford and included classrooms, offices, and an auditorium. The construction was supervised by Lawrence Noles, a local Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.) foreman. The federal government paid one-third of the materials cost and supplied all of the labor. The building was completed in June, 1938. The school housed all grades (1st through 11th , and later 12th) and served all of Dodge County. In contrast, during the same time period, there were 14 schools serving the white students of the county. Professor Burton served as the first principal, and some of the teachers were Mrs. V. Yopp, Mrs. Alberta Hamilton, Mrs. Letish Speed, and Mrs. Letic Edwards. One or more grades were taught in each classroom.”
“There is no documentation regarding the name Peabody and its association with the school. In newspaper articles referring to the school during its construction, the building is referred to as “Eastman Negro School.” There is some speculation that the school was named for George Peabody, the noted 19th century philanthropist, or possibly a well-known black educator. As stated above, the earlier wooden school building was also named Peabody School. In the early 1950s all grades were still housed at the Peabody campus with the 1st grade and 8th through 12th grades in the brick building, and 2nd through 7th grades in wooden barracks that had been moved from the Air Force base at Warner Robbins, Georgia. These also served as a lunchroom for the school. In 1953, Peabody School was one of seven black schools countywide. The others were Chauncey Junior High, Chester, Copeland, Lisbon, Mt. Olive, and Rhine Junior High.”
“According to Dodge County Board of Education minutes from January and February, 1954, there were plans to construct a large addition to Peabody School in order to accommodate the rising enrollment. By May of that same year, the board decided to construct a new African-American high school (extant, located southwest of the 1938 building, now serves as Dodge County Middle School) in order to reduce the overcrowding of Peabody and reduce the size of the addition.”
Peabody added a lunchroom to its campus and became an elementary school in 1957 and continued to serve the Black community until ceasing operation in 1967. The school buildings became the Dodge County Early Childhood Center in the late 1960s and closed in the late 1980s. They were acquired by United Concerned Citizens of Dodge County in 1994 for use as a community center.
Peabody School Mascot. The Peabody Tigers girls basketball team won at least two Class A State Championships .
Considering the endangered status of most early 20th century schools in Georgia, the survival of these structures is amazing. Demolition by neglect is the leading cause of the loss of historic schools, so the fact that the Peabody School was saved by a community coalition makes it all the more inspiring.
The long-abandoned Peabody School lunchroom, which was designed by the architectural firm of Stevens and Wilkinson in the International Style in 1957, was transformed into a beautiful work of public art with the creation of this inspiring mural by Kevin “Scene” Lewis celebrating Juneteenth. Kevin told me the mural was completed in 2021.
Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021, but it has been an important day of remembrance and optimism since it was first celebrated in Black churches in Texas in 1866. It recognizes the end of slavery, which occurred at different times in various locations. The date of 19 June 1865 is the source of the holiday’s name, recognizing Major General Gordon Granger’s General Order No. 3, which forcibly freed all the enslaved people of Texas. This is significant since many planters and slaveholders from Eastern states fled to Texas to escape the war, bringing their slaves with them. Amazingly, the enslaved people of the border states of Delaware and Kentucky did not achieve their freedom until the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment on 6 December 1865, but since Texas first began observing the holiday, the Juneteenth moniker has been used for all celebrations of emancipation.
Kevin “Scene” Lewis, has a story as interesting as his murals. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, he grew up in southeastern Virginia, and embraced art from childhood. His talent for drawing and graffiti led him to a double major in Communication Arts and Illustration at Virginia Commonwealth University. After graduating near the top of his class, he was headed to California when his car broke down in Kansas. While working to get it repaired, Lewis met his future wife, Reatrina, who was serving her first year in the Air Force. After they married, they were stationed around the world for several years but eventually landed in Warner Robins, as Reatrina wanted to be closer to her family in Unadilla.
Lewis had already embraced the Macon arts scene when he learned that his grandfather was a native of the city. In 2022, he told the Middle Georgia Times, “I just want to keep letting the city know that I know I’m not from here but this is my home. My grandfather was from here and I want to put roots here in the city and make an impact.” He is definitely making an impact. An accomplished muralist, his work can be found all over the state, and his smaller scale works have attracted a growing number of collectors. Visit his website here.
Bethel Christian Church in Eastman was a Disciples of Christ congregation. I believe the church was built circa 1925. Tax records date it to 1940, but since the Dodge County Courthouse burned in 1939, 1940 is just a referential date, and not the correct date for construction. Thanks to Sue Williamson for sharing the following history, which I have abridged. I believe it was written for one of the last church Homecoming events and am unsure as to its author, though it was likely Willie Jane Simmons (1928-2020).
During the early 1900s, a small band of Christian believers joined in faith and organized the Bethel Christian Church in the Shiloh community…The membership was made up of the Summer Family, Jim Thomas Family, Sherman Price Family, and the Heath Family. They were a small group meeting in an old house, but they kept the faith.
A few years later, Mr. Jay Williamson erected a church building here in Eastman for the group and the membership began to grow. Elder Jim Thomas kept records of all church activities. The other ministers were Rev. Yapp and Deacon Sherman Price. Later, Elder Jim Thomas was ordained as minister and he served several years. Mrs. Martha Thomas was designated “Mother” of the church. Other ministers were Rev. Still and Rev. Coney. They also served several years.
During the early 1930s there was a great drop in membership due to members moving to other states, but Rev. Thomas kept the doors of Bethel open...
During the 1950s, the church began to grow. Members from the Christian Hope Christian Church in the northern section of the community connected with Bethel after their church burned down. Brother Elijah Goolsby, Brother Elo Whiting, Deacon Frank King, Brother Mathis Power, Brother Flanles King, Brother Seabon King, and Brother Charles Simmons and others joined here at Bethel. Brother Ed Simmons’s family connected after returning from West Palm Beach, Florida. Elder Simmons walked many Sundays to help Elder Thomas to conduct service…
Elder Ed Simmons worked with the State and National convention. He was able to get representatives to come and conduct meetings with us…Elder Simmons was always concerned with our basic mission, known today as Disciples’ Mission which included Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving, among others…
In 1990 we observed a special Homecoming. We celebrated and paid tribute to the “Mother of the Church”, Mother Rosebud Simmons, who was 93 years old. We enjoyed the churches who celebrated this occasion with us…
From reading the history, other pastors were Rev. D. T. Williams, Rev. R. H. Mitchell, Rev. L. C. Hunter, and Rev. Al Whiting. The church was still active as late as 2011, but the congregation disbanded some time after that.
Beulah Lodge #37, Prince Hall Masons, is typical of Black Masonic lodges found throughout Georgia and is still active. It is also home to the Rose of Beulah Chapter #251, Order of the Eastern Star. According to tax records, it was built in 1958. Historically, the Prince Hall Masons and the Order of the Eastern Star have been anchors of Black communities, and are often found in central locations in their neighborhoods. Beulah is no exception, with both Shorter’s Chapel and Bethel Christian Church in view of the property.
