Hog Hammock Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Julius Green House, Circa 1930, Sapelo Island
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Category Archives: Hog Hammock GA
Sapelo Orange Grove
Franciscan missionaries from Spain, the first Europeans to encounter the Sea Islands, brought sour Seville oranges to the coast in the late 1600s and planted them in the vicinity of their missions. Over the next couple of centuries, some of these survived, and one population evolved into the Sapelo Sour Orange. After the Civil War, the Gullah-Geechee people protected the trees and used them in all sorts of applications, from medicine to marmalade. They faced extinction in the early 2000s, but an effort to save them and propagate more individual plants has been quite successful.
Hog Hammock Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Ernest Walker House, Sapelo Island
Old automobiles are a common sight in Hog Hammock. Due to the difficulty and cost in removing them from the island, they are frequently found in an abandoned state. On my visits with a part-time resident, I’ve ridden in a wide variety of “gently used” vehicles. Gently used is putting it kindly.
The image above illustrates Mr. Ernest Walker’s garden. He was working hard to remove weeds the day before. The people of Hog Hammock are very self-sufficient and I have great respect for that; when I visited the day before with my friend who lives nearby, I learned that Mr. Walker is legally blind.
Hog Hammock Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Farmers Alliance Hall, 1929, Sapelo Island
A farmers’ alliance was first chartered on Sapelo Island in 1892 to serve the needs of black farmers. Their meeting hall in Hog Hammock was also used for social gatherings and community meetings. Original members were: Cuffy Wilson, President; Sipio Sams, Vice-president; Rachel Dunham, Treasurer; Reverend Joseph Jones, Chaplain; Ceasar Sams, Conductor; Sam Dixon, Secretary; other members included Glasco Campbell, Peter Sams, Ben Brown, Cato Hillery, Katie Brown, Charles Hall, and Liberty Handy. Through the efforts of Cornelia Walker Bailey and the Sapelo Island Cultural & Revitalization Society restored this important symbol of Hog Hammock in 2008 and it is the site for the Cultural Day Festival, held every third Saturday in October. It’s one of the older remaining buildings in Hog Hammock.
Hog Hammock Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Hog Hammock, Sapelo Island
Hog Hammock is the last intact Geechee/Gullah community in Georgia. Most of the remaining residents are descendants of African slaves brought to Sapelo Island to work on the plantation of Thomas Spalding. Historically known as Hogg Hummock or Hog Hummock, it was named for a resident, Sampson Hogg. At one time, there were several communities on the island: Raccoon Bluff, Hanging Bull, Behavior, Chocolate, Johnson Hummock, and Shell Hummock, but when Richard Reynolds acquired the bulk of the island in the 1930s, he consolidated all the residents into Hog Hammock.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of resident and unofficial ambassador Cornelia Walker Bailey, the community has become nationally known. Her bestselling book, God, Dr. Buzzard and the Bolito Man: A Saltwater Geechee Talks About Life on Sapelo Island, Georgia (Anchor Press, 2001-available through the Sapelo Island Cultural and Revitalization Society (SICARS) or on Amazon) is a fascinating blend of autobiography and cultural history that is a must-read if you plan on visiting the island.
Today, largely through the efforts of Mrs. Bailey and SICARS, the vanishing cultural traditions and folkways are being preserved, but there is the constant threat of encroachment by outsiders. Hog Hammock is one of those places where, rightfully so, visitors are welcome but invaders are not. It is sad to think that as the population of the island dwindles due to death and old age, many properties in Hog Hammock will be sold to outside interests with no concern for this unique history. I applaud Hog Hammock’s citizens for attempting to maintain their social and cultural heritage in a world often interested in nothing more than commercial and material gain and I hope that Hog Hammock survives far into the future.
If you ever visit you will be amazed at this magical place. It’s hard to describe the feeling you get when you come back to the mainland on the Katie Underwood…let me just say that there’s something about Sapelo time that just doesn’t sync up with the rest of the world.
Sapelo Island can only be reached by ferry or plane. And I’m not sure about the second option. The ferry leaves the Meridian dock at least twice every day except major holidays and advance reservations are suggested, if not required. Access to the island is quite limited, but it’s worth the trouble! But if you go, please be mindful that while the residents are welcoming of tourists who appreciate their culture, they’re not a sideshow or a museum exhibit. This is their home and way of life, so please be respectful of that fact.
Hog Hammock Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
The Houses of Sapelo Island: Endangered Vernacular Landmarks
The houses shown here are various examples of traditional African-American vernacular architecture.
Once common throughout the Southeast, they are quite rare today.
They are generally adaptations of extant forms more broadly common on the mainland.
They are identified elsewhere on the website, thanks to identifications provided by Cornelia Bailey.
They are shown as a record of a vanishing way of life, threatened by outsiders, changes in ownership, and outrageous property tax increases in recent years.
Some of these have survived because they were still homes but as the population of the island changes, many will probably be lost over the next decade if an attempt to save them isn’t made.
Hog Hammock Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Mary Parker House, Sapelo Island
This was the home of longtime Hog Hammock resident Mary Parker. It is located at the edge of the property of my dear friend, Sonny DeSoto, whose home was my base on Sapelo over several years. I spent a lot of time admiring the house and took numerous photos.I previously noted that Mrs. Parker died in the 1990s, based on Sonny’s memory. I believe she was Mary Ann Walker Parker (1906-1983) , and died a bit earlier.
Hog Hammock Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
St. Luke Baptist Church, Circa 1884, Sapelo Island
The most architecturally significant church in Hog Hummock, St. Luke was formed by 33 dissenters from the First African Baptist Church, who initially named it Second African Baptist. Like the other churches on Sapelo Island, it was formed by Freedmen.
Hog Hammock Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
First African Baptist Church, 1968, Sapelo Island
This congregation was established at Raccoon Bluff on 2 May 1866. The present structure dates to 1968 and the modern architecture is in stark contrast to the vernacular structures which define Hog Hammock.
Hog Hammock Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Mr. Hall’s General Store, 1920, Sapelo Island
This store was owned by Charles Hall, Sr. (1874-1967) and Beulah Walker Hall (1905-1987). It served as a community gathering place and Sapelo Island’s only store for decades. After years in derelict condition, it has been restored and is now home to the Hogg Hummock Artisan Market.
Hog Hammock Historic District, National Register of Historic Places