A comment on the website indicated that the Asa Chandler House had recently been demolished and will be replaced with a gas station. (Update: It’s an Aldi and townhomes, but I digress).
Asa Chandler House during deconstruction. Photo shared exclusively with Vanishing Georgia.
I always try to vet such reports, and, sadly, contact with several people aware of the situation has confirmed that it is indeed a loss, actively being dismantled.
Asa Chandler House during deconstruction. Photo shared exclusively with Vanishing Georgia.
Someone who lives nearby even shared photos of the “work in progress”.
Asa Chandler House during deconstruction. Photo shared exclusively with Vanishing Georgia.
Cate Short notes that the ancillary kitchen was saved and removed, and that some salvage of the architectural features was done, but this was not the outcome anyone who knew this house was hoping for.
Hunter’s Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church is located in southeastern Elbert County, near the Savannah River on the Calhoun Falls Highway. I’m not sure as to the date of construction or the history of the congregation. It’s a beautifully maintained church and churchyard.
The crossroads community of 13 Forks takes its name from the numerous branches and creeks that surround the area. I only counted nine on the map, so I must have missed a few. The community gives its name to 13 Forks Road (or is it the other way around?) and a granite slab and this old store building, dating to circa 1934, let you know you’ve arrived.
When trying to find a history of the area, I learned that it’s best known as the home of the 13 Forks Dragstrip, which was going strong in the 1960s. A 1965 flier I found online notes that the drag strip was open at 1PM every Sunday, and admission was $1.50. As to some of the attractions: Gene Cromer’s Fabulous Moonlighter, a ’40 Willys Coupe that did 6 foot wheel stands; Charlie Roberts, hurrying to finish that fiberglass English Ford; Charles Headen, still running Big Red, but sporting a new Mustang; Bennett-Hobbs, driving a new all glass English Ford Hydro; Ed Skelton, driving a Falcon and a new Mustang; and Dude Moore, really honking now in his pretty yellow ’55 Chevy...
Drag racing fans still return to the community for occasional reunions.
This single-pen tenant house is typical of the residential dwellings common in the tenant farming and sharecropping era and was related, no doubt, to the Hard Cash community. There were likely a number of these along Hard Cash Road at one time, and this may be the last survivor. While it’s an endangered resource, it’s just more evidence that even utilitarian homes were built better a hundred years ago than they are today.
The only reference I could find about Hard Cash was that the place name appears on an 1894 Southern Railway map. This indicates it was a railroad siding, perhaps with a freight depot for shipping whatever goods were being produced. I’m imagining cotton or even corn, but it may have encompassed a lot of different products. As to the Hard Cash aspect, I suspect it referred to a business owner not running credit accounts, and only accepting “hard cash”. That may be overthinking it, but it’s how I see it.
This old shotgun store was likely a commissary, serving farm workers or other laborers who lived in the area.
Take a detour off the Bowman Highway at Dewy Rose and you’ll pass down a gravel-topped road named for the historic community of Hard Cash. While the story of the community is hard to track down, the drive will pass by a couple of historic homes and leftover farm buildings related to this enigmatic place. It’s a short drive but a nice break from the highway.
The Asa Chandler House is one of the most historically important and endangered houses in Elberton, and an unusual resource to be so intact within an urban setting.
Kitchen, originally located north of house but later attached
Though tax digests and historic resource surveys date the house to circa 1849, it likely originated earlier as a simpler form, perhaps a dogtrot, and possibly as early as the 1820s or 1830s.
Chimney, showing original granite blocks with restored brick section
Asa Chandler (1806-1874) bought the 36-acre property in 1849. He was a preacher and yeoman farmer who may have owned several slaves. After the Civil War, Rev. Chandler continued to operate the farm while serving numerous congregations in northeast Georgia. He was known to have a peach orchard at one time. Southern Anthology, a genealogical compendium of “families on the frontier of the Old South” notes: “Rev. Asa Chandler was born on the 22d of August, 1808, in Franklin County, Georgia. He made a public profession of faith in Christ in his 14th year, and joined the Poplar Spring church, in his native county. He was ordained in his 21st year, and in 1834 accepted the pastorate of the Van’s Creek church, in Elbert county, and moved to Ruckersville. He served that church as pastor for the long period of thirty-seven years, and was its pastor when he died. Other churches also enjoyed the benefit of his ministerial services, especially the Falling Creek church, of which he was pastor for more than twenty years.“
19th century well house
In 1917, the home was purchased by postmaster and mail carrier Walter C. Jones, who added the garage and other modern barns to the property. Mr. Jones was also a small-scale farmer, who may have planted the pecan orchard behind the house.
Barn, possibly of log construction and later sided with tar paper
The property is amazingly intact but its location on the main north-south highway in Elberton makes it vulnerable to development.
Garage, 20th century
It’s important for its antebellum origins, but also for its transition into a modern farm.
View from well house to main house
I don’t know its present status but I hope it will be preserved.
Front elevation of house, showing sleeping porch (at right) added by the Jones family in the 1920s
This former automobile dealership (I haven’t tracked down which one) was restored in 2014 and now serves as the Elberton Arts Center. It’s an architectural style known as Streamline Moderne, which was popular with automobile dealers after World War II for its modern appearance. Many Streamline Moderne structures have been demolished, so it’s nice to see Elberton put this one to good use. It’s located next door to another modern landmark in Elberton, the old health clinic featured in the previous post.
The Elbert County Health Center is an excellent example of Mid-Century Modern architecture, which was uncommon in rural Georgia. It was designed by local architect James M. Hunt. Particularly interesting is the roof, which is known as an inverted or butterfly roof. Modern architecture was a common choice for public health facilities, as well as doctor’s offices and banks, in the 1950s and 1960s, and was meant to convey a sense of progress and innovation. The style was never overly popular with the public, however, and as a result many examples have been demolished. This facility has been abandoned for quite a few years and should be considered endangered. It wasn’t included as a contributing resource in the Elbert Commercial Historic District, but should be re-evaluated.
The Granite Bowl, home to Elbert County’s Blue Devils, is the most unique high school football stadium in Georgia. It was originally associated with Central High School. As you can see, I wasn’t able to get inside the facility, but still wanted to share. The sunken field is surrounded by seats of, you guessed it, Elberton granite, and after an expansion in 1961, it has a capacity of 20,000. The granite was donated by local companies and much of the work of installation was done by local volunteers. The Rock Gym, visible in the background, was completed in 1942.
The press box was part of the 1961 expansion and was designed by local architect James M. Hunt (1915-1993).
Forest Avenue Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
