H. V. Kell was a a grocery-hardware store chain. The stenciled advertising placed diagonally between the windows was very common in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, but is rarely seen intact today. The banners read, from left to right: Farm Hardware; Field Fence; Roofing Nails; Paints And Oil.

Fort Valley was a real surprise, as I’d only passed through the area briefly before my recent photo expedition there. There are three National Register Historic Districts in the town and one of the most interesting and well maintained downtowns I’ve seen in awhile. It’s a bit out of the way, but definitely worth a trip whether you’re a photographer, historian, or casual visitor.

Fort Valley Downtown & Railroad Historic District, National Register of Historic Places