Category Archives: Marshallville GA

Jones-Peterson House, Circa 1893, Marshallville

Situated on an imposing knoll just west of Marshallville, this Neoclassical Revival landmark was built by Anson Ball Slappey for his daughter Alma and her husband, J. Leonard Jones, as the center of the 800-acre Alma Fruit Farm. The Roy Peterson family were also longtime owners, and many still refer to the property as the Peterson Farm.

Louise Frederick Hays, author of History of Macon County, also resided here for a time.

Thanks to Lori Kelley Adams for help with the identification. I made these photos about 10 years ago and for some reason had never been able to identify the house.

National Register of Historic Places

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Historic Commercial Storefronts, Marshallville

historic marshallville ga photograph copyright brian brown vanishing south georgia usa 2016

Between the two residential historic districts on Main Street are a couple of blocks of commercial buildings which served Marshallville at the height of the peach boom. Most are empty today, I believe.

historic marshallville ga storefronts photograph copyright brian brown vanishing south georgia usa 2016

Marshallville Commercial District, National Register of Historic Places

Frigidaire Sign, Marshallville

historic marshallville ga art deco frigidaire neon sign photograph copyright brian brown vanishing south georgia usa 2016

Marshallville Commercial District, National Register of Historic Places

Anson B. Slappey House, Marshallville

historic marshallville ga eclectic house photograph copyright brian brown vanishing south georgia usa 2016

Liz writes: This house was built by George H. Slappey’s son Anson B. Slappey. He attended military school and then joined the Confederate army. He died in 1908. In the 1960’s his great-granddaughter, Mrs. Eugenia Ramsey lived here as well.

East Main Street Residential District, National Register of Historic Places

Donald Barton Frederick House, Circa 1865, Marshallville

James Frederick began building this Greek Revival townhouse in 1860 but soon sold it to his first cousin, Donald Barton Frederick. D. B. Frederick completed the house around 1865 and lived here until his death in 1911. Later owners have been the Paullin and Minnich families.

West Main Street Residential District, National Register of Historic Places

Marcus Sperry House, 1870s, Marshallville

historic marshallville ga sperry house photograph copyright brian brown vanishing south georgia usa 2016

This eclectic Victorian is one of the most unique houses in the area. It was built by Marcus E. Sperry, son of early Marshallville settler John A. Sperry. It is said to have been designed by the builder’s wife, Eufaula Marshall Sperry. Mrs. Sperry was an artist.

West Main Street Residential District, National Register of Historic Places

George H. Slappey House, 1850s, Marshallville

One of Marshallville’s most imposing structures, this home, like so many others of its era, began on a much smaller scale. Originally a four-room frame house, it was built by E. S. Crocker, likely in the mid-1850s. George Hiley Slappey purchased it about 1860 and used slave labor to expand it to its present appearance. It was included in the Historic American Buildings Survey in the 1930s, confirming its architectural significance. It was later owned by the Camp family. Debbie Dunning Liipfert notes that it’s been known as the Camp-Liipfert House since 1980… Wonderful home and happily raised our children and welcome family. It’s also been referred to as the Camp-Slappey House. The image below, in the public domain, dates to the mid-1930s. HABS GA-174. Courtesy Library of Congress.

Slappey House, Marshallville, Macon County, GA Photos from Survey HABS GA-147 public domain courtesy library of congress

West Main Street Residential District, National Register of Historic Places

Marshallville Public Library, Circa 1928

One of Georgia’s smallest public libraries serves as a memorial to one of its patrons, Jacob Walter Frederick (1851-1928).

Frederick-Wade House, Circa 1840, Marshallville

historic marshallville ga frederick wade house photograph copyright brian brown vanishing south georgia usa 2012

This important house was once the center of the community. Daniel Frederick moved to the area in 1832 from Orangeburg, South Carolina, and built this home as the focal point of a 1400-acre cotton plantation. In the 1850s, he sold off lots from the plantation that would become the nucleus of Marshallville. In 1928, Dr. John Daniel Wade purchased the home and moved it closer to town, where it stands today. When inherited by his son, Dr. John Donald Wade, the property was formally landscaped with Crepe Myrtles, Camellias, and an extensive arboretum. The second Dr. Wade was active in the Southern literary renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s, as well. The property is still beautifully maintained. It was documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey in the mid-1930s, from which the image below, in the public domain, was retrieved. HABS GA-146. Courtesy Library of Congress.

frederick wade house habs courtesy library of congress

West Main Residential District, National Register of Historic Places

Samuel Henry Rumph House, 1904, Marshallville

historic marshallville ga samuel henry rumph house photograph copyright brian brown vanishing south georgia usa 2016

The builder of this house, Samuel Henry Rumph, Sr., developed the Elberta peach and  is considered the father of the commercial peach industry in Georgia. He named the Elberta for his wife, Clara Elberta Moore Rumph. He also developed techniques considered integral to the safe shipment of fresh fruits and vegetables. Read more about him here.

West Main Residential District, National Register of Historic Places