Category Archives: –EFFINGHAM COUNTY GA–

Shop Building, Clyo

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I’m identifying this is a “shop building” because I’m not positive what purpose it served, but most likely, it was a garage. The building is quite deep and though I couldn’t see garage doors, much of the back section was obscured by vegetation.

It’s not a particularly interesting building, aesthetically speaking, but these sorts of places were often important resources in small communities, and still are, in a lot of places. Being unpainted may even suggest it was never even used for a commercial purpose, but I think it was. The false front was common with structures like this well into the mid-20th century.

Mt. Pisgah Independent Methodist Church, Clyo

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I haven’t been able to locate any information on this historic African-American congregation. There are apparently different groups of independent Methodists and some sources suggest they are more akin to the Holiness movement but with Methodist roots. I think the main distinction would be that they are not governed by an administrative structure. This is a nice modern building, with obvious Gothic influences.

If anyone knows more, please reach out via the website or email. I suspect the congregation is older than the church building.

Gable Front Cottage, Clyo

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This gable front cottage was built in either 1934 or 1946; as is usually the case, there are different dates at different sources. It’s a common and widespread style that I document quite often. These houses remained popular until after World War II and many examples, like this one, are often seen with a veneer of tar paper, or false brick siding as it’s properly known. If you look closely, you will see why it’s called false brick. It’s essentially the same sort of material used in shingles and provided extra insulation, and an inexpensive cosmetic enhancement, to otherwise plain homes.

Laurel Hill Lutheran Church, 1880s, Effingham County

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Laurel Hill Lutheran Church and its sister church, Wingard Memorial Lutheran Church, make up the Clyo Lutheran Parish. Located outside town, Laurel Hill is a beautiful country church. The present structure was built in the 1880s. According to the parish website: In December of 1860 Mr. William Washington Metzger made a Christmas gift of two acres of land to his community to start a congregation. The church, Laurel Hill was established on December 27, 1862. The name Laurel Hill was suggested by Mr. John Israel Reiser and was accepted by the members. In 1871 the Reverend J. N. Derrick became the first called Pastor of Laurel Hill.

While the Lutheran Church has congregations throughout the state, Effingham County remains the historical home of the faith in Georgia. I’m fascinated not only by the churches but by the Salzburger pioneers who first settled the area in 1734.

Zeigler House, Circa 1874, Effingham County

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This Georgian Cottage has an unusual form, notably in the placement of twin chimneys on the side gable ends. I’m not sure if the dormer is original. It was built by a member of the Zeigler family, who were some of the early Salzburger settlers of Effingham County.

Craftsman Cottage, 1944, Effingham County

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This a vernacular interpretation of the wildly popular Craftsman style. These houses were built for practicality and to last.

Central Hallway Farmhouse, Circa 1889, Effingham County

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The outbuildings found on this property suggest that this was an historic small farmstead at one time. I didn’t photograph them, but they are an amazing collective resource. The 1990 Historic Resources Survey that documented the site noted the presence of a livestock barn, corn crib, well house, and a garage/machinery barn. Several old oaks shade the front of the yard, which appears virtually unchanged from the way it would have looked a hundred years ago. To me, it’s a perfect scene of the area and sadly one that is increasingly endangered.

The house itself is outstanding and originated as a central hallway cottage. As is evident in the above photograph, a shed room was added at the rear of the house. The projecting wing whose roof is visible at left may be an attached kitchen.

Artie P. Kessler House, Circa 1860, Rincon

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Located on the edge of Rincon, this was once a rural farmhouse but is now surrounded by modern development. It still has a large yard and is set back from the street. It is believed to have been built by Artie P. Kessler, whose family was still living here as late as 1990, when it was identified by the Georgia Historic Preservation Division. They may still own it.

The Kessler family was one of the early Salzburger families who settled Effingham County, some of whom were here from the 1730s onward.

It’s a relatively unusual form in Georgia. The historic survey noted that there was a large open recessed porch in the center of the back of the house and that the loft was originally reached by means of a back stairway from the recessed porch area. The house apparently has a hall-parlor arrangement with two small rooms located on each side of the recessed back porch...The family slept upstairs and cooked in the smokehouse. House had cypress shingles on roof until 1940s

Emanuel House, Circa 1904, Exley

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Exley is another railroad village in south Effingham County. Now part of Rincon, it had its own post office from 1895-1907, suggesting it was a busy shipping point at the time. I know of no commercial structures from that era which are extant, but this house, and the American Foursquare featured in the previous post, are examples of the area’s prosperity during that time.

Information on the community has been difficult to locate, but the Exley family has been in Effingham County for many years, with ancestors in the area dating to at least the 1790s. I realize that most people would consider this part of Rincon today, and it is technically, but I try to give a presence to these forgotten communities. I’m amazed when people reach out with comments like “I’ve lived in this county for years and didn’t even know that place existed.” I hope it makes more people curious about local history.

I got the identification for this house from a 1990 Georgia Historic Resources survey, but know nothing else about it. It’s a later example of the popular I-house form.

American Foursquare House, Circa 1904, Exley

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This is an outstanding example of the transitional house type known as American Foursquare. Popular from the 1890s to the 1930s, it was quite basic, with a square design, two or two-and-a-half stories high, with four large rooms to a floor. Examples range from plain vernacular to the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired Prairie School to Craftsman, with some even incorporating Folk Victorian elements.

The Foursquare style was also a popular mail-order style, especially common in neighborhoods located near rail lines, as was the case in the Exley community. Sears and Aladdin were the two leading companies doing mail-order houses. I don’t know if this is a mail-order example, or if it was built by a local carpenter.