This long-abandoned barn is part of a group of tin-sided structures in “downtown” Lax that were part of the Wingate family’s turpentine and farming operations in the 20th century. This particular structure served as the mule barn, and as this view of the loft would indicate, is in its final days. Thanks to Quint Wingate for the historical background and to Jerry Youghn for suggesting I document it. I’ll share more of these structures soon.
This farmhouse in the crossroads settlement of Lax is the most significant residential landmark remaining in the community. It appears to have originated as a Georgian Cottage but was expanded and remodeled in the popular Craftsman style in 1919. Quint Wingate has graciously shared the history of the settlement, meticulously researched for his masters thesis. He notes that the house was built during the 1890s by Alfred Thomas Howell (1856-1909), a native of Reynoldson, North Carolina, who married an Irwin County native, Mary Ellen Paulk (1868-1956), in 1892. William Ottis Wingate (1885-1934) and brother Walter Lee “W. L.” Wingate purchased the property from Mrs. Howell in 1919, at which time it was remodeled and became William’s home. It remains in the family today and is well maintained.
This Tudor Revival landmark was the home of Dr. Arthur Leroy Dorminy (1923-2016) and is still owned by his family. Dr. Dorminy was a beloved veterinarian with many clients in the Ocilla area throughout his long career. My parents have fond memories of him from the time he took care of our German Shepherd, Lucky, in the 1970s. My mother still remembers what a kind man he was.
In addition to his practice, he founded the Christian Veterinary Mission (CVM) in 1976. The CVM provides care to communities generally not well-served by the veterinary profession, and trains and assists veterinarians in underdeveloped nations all over the world. The Dorminy House, which serves the CVM at the University of Georgia, is dedicated to Dr. Dorminy, himself a 1950 graduate of the UGA College of Veterinary Medicine.
The Ocilla Community House was built between 1938-1939 as a project of the City of Ocilla and the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a New Deal agency. A. S. Harris served as chairman of the building committee with A. T. Fuller, A. G. Shivers, and W. A. Tankersley, Jr. Claude McNeil was mayor of Ocilla at the time. Herman Hall, W. B. Hawes, Otto Griner, W. H. Simms, and T. A. Crouch served on the city council. The architect, Lauren Parrott (1901-1973), also designed another New Deal project, the Ocilla High School. Parrott built several public buildings and homes in the area.
The Community House has hosted numerous social gatherings, meetings, and school dances, as well as other events, in its 86 year history, and continues to serve its original purpose.
Note: This replaces a post which originally appeared on 28 January 2009.
I identified this as the “Mixon-Daniels Barn” in my notes, as it was located on Mixon-Daniels Lane, near the Riverbend community. I think they sold sweet potatoes at this farm years ago. The photograph dates to 2014.
The Church of God by Faith is described as “a Methodist denomination aligned with the Holiness movement”. It was founded by John “Daddy” Bright in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1914, and has over 200 congregations today. Along with the A.M.E., C.M.E., Missionary Baptists, and Church of God in Christ, it’s one of the leading Black denominations in Georgia.
This small Craftsman-influenced cottage has eclectic features, such as the high-pitched flying porticoes over the side doors. There are no exposed rafters as you’d expect in a Craftsman, either, but I think it’s still strongly influenced by the style. It’s reminiscent of the old travel courts that were popular in the 1930s-1940s. It has always been one of my favorite houses in the area.
This photo was made in 2010 and like many I’ve shared today, the house is probably gone by now. It’s a classic example of a shotgun house.
This old farmhouse was located in the southwestern part of Irwin County, off Five Bridge Road, and I drove past it for many years wondering if it would survive, and who lived here and made it a home. This photograph from my archives dates to 2012, and was made in the winter, because the house was almost completely hidden by vegetation during the spring and summer months. I don’t know its fate but suspect it is gone.
This saddlebag house has an attached wing. If true to the form, it originally had two front doors. I photographed it in 2012 in the Satilla Church area and am not sure if it’s still standing.