So far, I’ve been unable to locate any information on this school, but the International Style architecture suggests it likely dates to the 1950s. It may have been used until the 1970s-1990s.
This bell near the front entrance to the school is probably a relic of an earlier school, perhaps the Lumber City High School. It’s not identified as such, though one would presume it to be related.
The marker beneath the bell was placed in 1921, perhaps at a slightly different location originally, by the Oconee Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. It reads: This street was the old River Road blazed by Gen. David Blackshear, 1812. Six miles beyond in the forks of Oconee and Ocmulgee River was the second fort built in Telfair County by Gen. David Blackshear for defense in War [of] 1812.
The school has two wings radiating from the front entrance, which housed classrooms, I presume.
As seen here, Hurricane Helene left her calling card on the campus, A separate building, to the left, may have also housed classrooms.
The International Style is characterized by minimalism and is focused on functional and utilitarian design. The lack of design may be its most notable feature, and its simple form was very popular with Georgia schools from the late 1940s to the early 1970s. The most interesting element to the Lumber City Elementary school is the covered breezeway at the front entrance.
As with most of these mid-century Georgia schools, there is very little interest or hope for their preservation. While these structures appear to be in salvageable condition, it’s unlikely they will ever be reused. I believe the Lumber City Elementary school was used for adult education courses as late as the early 2010s, but has been abandoned since then.
