This Queen Anne townhouse was built by J. B. Pound in 1893. Identifying J. B. Pound is more difficult than dating the house. There’s a J. P. Pound buried in Memory Hill with no birth or death dates given on the headstone, but I think J. B. Pound was more likely Jerome Balaam Pound (1863-1952). Pound was a native of Dooly County who went on to become a prominent newspaper publisher and hotelier. He owned the DeSoto Hotel in Savannah, as well as two hotels on Tybee Island, the Hotel Seminole in Jacksonville, and the Hotel Patten in Chattanooga. He began his work in newspapers as a printer in Macon in 1887, and by 1888 had launched a newspaper in Chattanooga. Considering his Georgia connections, having a home in Milledgeville in 1893 doesn’t seem far-fetched, though certainly bears further research. Whatever the case, his association with the property was short-lived. He spent most of his life in Knoxville and Miami Beach.
Edgar Jefferson Flemister (1858-1930) and Ida Callaway Flemister (1858-1936) purchased the home circa 1902 and it remained in the family until 1993. I believe the name “Buena Vista” was assigned the house to honor the wife of owner Malcolm McKay Flemister (1890-1960), Buena Vista Barrett Flemister (1893-1992).
Milledgeville Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
According to “The Soul of Georgia”, an fascinating digital exhibit curated by Evan Leavitt for Georgia College Special Collections, Lillie Adam Bell opened this location as a juke joint known as the Diner’s Club in 1955.Since her death in 1971, the club has been owned by Clifford Holsey. The original structure has been expanded by additions throughout the years, but retains its roots. The business is now known as Soulmaster’s BBQ Lounge, but locals still refer to it as “The Diner”.
This cinderblock building, originally home to a neighborhood store operated by Bill Renfroe in the 1940s, became a jazz club known as the Blue Note, in the 1960s. According to Evan Leavitt, it was operated by Barry Jarrett, and by the late 1960s, hosted local bands such as Gloria Walker and the Chevelles. It was still operating as a night spot into the late 1970s, operated by Jesse Barnett, and lastly became a beauty shop in the 1980s.
This historic overpass on North Wilkinson Street was likely built for the Central of Georgia Railway in the 1920s or thereabouts. The Central of Georgia was later absorbed by Norfolk Southern, but since there were numerous lines running through Milledgeville at one time, I haven’t been able to confirm. This one was obviously built with local materials; the red clay so famous in Middle Georgia is shining through. The line which this overpass serviced is now abandoned.
Trinity CME is one of Milledgeville’s most historic Black congregations. Some of the founding members attended the Methodist Episcopal Church with their enslavers, but newly freed, they soon formed their own congregation, in the mid-1860s. They built their first church at the corner of Liberty and Franklin Streets, beside Memory Hill Cemetery. A grand renovation took place in 1883 and the work was done by Charlie and Frank Steele and William Brooks; some sources even note that it had the largest steeple in Milledgeville. The Rev. Gideon Hill was prominent in the church during this period.
After the old church burned down, the present church, itself a Milledgeville landmark, was built in 1921 during the pastorate of George L. Word. It’s located at the corner of North Wilkinson Street and West Thomas Street.
Milledgeville Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Bone Cemetery was established by Russel G. Bone in the 1940s, in one of Milledgeville’s historic Black neighborhoods. The most notable memorials are these moving tributes to the Oden family. They are part of the larger Collier-Oden plot, and are located at the feet of commercially manufactured granite slabs. William T. Collier, was an Army veteran of World War I, the organizer and first commander of American Legion Post 523, and a prominent brick mason.
This 6-foot anchor may be the most impressive of the three concrete memorials.
Ralph Oden (1951-1969)
It identifies Ralph and Ruth Oden.
Ruth Oden (1908-1955)
I’m not sure what the “S” indicates.
“Son”, on this point of the anchor, may be another reference to Ruth’s son, Ralph.
This is one of two five-pointed stars. The lower points of both are buried slightly into the concrete within the plot. Considering that family members were brick masons, one of them was likely the maker of these memorials. The inscription reads: Memory – Marguerite – Ruth – Builder – Bro. Lo. Ruth’s name appears again, but I can’t connect the others.
Lorenzo William Oden (1909-1988)
The stars are about 3 or 4 feet tall, much larger than any others I’ve encountered. This one bears the inscription: 1981 – Warren Honor Clyde – Grant General – Lorenzo. I believe 1981 is the year that these were made. Lorenzo Oden was married to Gladys Collier, daughter of William T. Collier. He was a Carpenter’s Mate Third Class in World War II, and was also a master brick mason. He was a life member of Bricklayers Union #3 and American Legion Post 523.
Milledgeville is a great city to walk around, largely due to the architectural relics that populate its historic district. A standout is a local style considered so significant it was given its own name: Milledgeville Federal. This is meant to be a starting point for exploration and research.
Referring to The Homestead [above], architectural historian John Linley defined the style: [it] may well be the first house in America to utilize a narrow colossal-type portico with only two columns. Though never widely used, the style became so popular in the Milledgeville area that it is frequently referred to as the Milledgeville-Federal type of architecture. Also emblematic are cantilevered spiral staircases, side-gabled roofs and fanlight ornamentation. There are variations but these are central to the style, which is strongly rooted in Federal and Greek Revival architecture.
Blount-Parks-Mara-Williams House, 1818
The man most associated with Milledgeville Federal style architecture is John Marlor. Born in England, he came to Milledgeville by way of Charleston and was active from circa 1815 until his death in 1835. Daniel Pratt and Elam Alexander both apprenticed or collaborated with Marlor.
Dr. Charles Paine House, 1820
In Milledgeville, Georgia’s Antebellum Capital (Athens, UGA Press. 1978), James C. Bonner notes that most of Marlor’s construction labor was performed by seven enslaved men who were trained carpenters. This would have been common practice at the time. Most large houses built in the antebellum era can be attributed to slave labor.
Orme-Sallee House, Circa 1822
The Orme-Salle House is one of the finest illustrations of the style, due as much to its Palladian doors as anything else.
The Cedars, Circa 1822
The Cedars is a beautifully executed example of the Milledgeville Federal style. It serves as the Phi Mu sorority house today.
Brown-Stetson-Sanford House, Circa 1825
This structure once served as the Beecher-Brown Hotel and later the States’ Rights Hotel, hosting legislators when the body was in session. It has one of the most stylized porticoes of all the Milledgeville Federal style houses.
DeLauney House, Circa 1825
The DeLauney house is slightly less refined than other examples, but is definitely a work of the Milledgeville Federal school.
Isaac Newell House, Circa 1825
The portico on the Newell House is more Greek Revival than Milledgeville Federal, but it’s definitely an example of the style.
John Marlor House, 1830
This was the home of the architect himself. John Marlor built it as a gift for his second wife.
Masonic Temple, 1834
The only non-residential building of Marlor’s that survives is the Masonic Temple. It’s considered his finest work and, architecturally, of national importance.
The Milledgeville Federal style influenced other houses in the area, including notable examples: Rockwell [circa 1838], near Hardwick, and the Daniel Pratt-attributed Jones-Ross House [circa 1826] in Old Clinton, in Jones County.
Milledgeville Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
An Englishman who came to Milledgeville via Charleston, John Marlor (1789-1835) developed the Milledgeville Federal style of architecture, of which this house he built for his wife Ann Carlton Marlor (1797-1845) in 1830 is a perfect example. These would have been among the most prominent homes in the capital when they were built and are still the pinnacle of domestic architecture in the city.
The house, now known as the John Marlor Arts Center, is one of four buildings which make up the Milledgeville-Baldwin County Allied Arts Center.
Milledgeville Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Walker Building, Built in 1874 for the convalescence of white male patients of the Georgia Lunatic Asylum.
Citing dangerous conditions and ongoing issues with trespassing, the state of Georgia plans to demolish the Walker, Jones, and Green buildings, and the wash house on the historic campus of Central State Hospital. Strangely, the old prison buildings near the cemetery, which appear to be the most dangerous structures on the property, aren’t included in the order. The governor has signed off on the demolition request from the state’s behavioral health board and work could begin as soon as this fall. The iconic Powell Building and restored depot will remain.
A spokesperson for the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities told the Milledgeville Union-Recorder: “First, we understand the connection the community has with Central State Hospital and the concern community members have over the protection of the property,” DBHDD communications director Ryan King said in an email response. “DBHDD explored in-depth the alternatives on these properties. Ultimately, it was determined that demolition was the only viable option to mitigate the significant and potentially deadly risk these buildings pose to the public and to create a path for the property to be revitalized.”
“In attempts to breathe life back into the Central State Hospital campus through reinvestment and partnerships, the intention is to demolish the Wash House, Walker, Green and Jones buildings. It’s important to understand the Powell Building will remain intact and serve as a centerpiece in potential reinvestment and redevelopment plans.“
Several preservation groups have spoken out against the plan, including the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation and the Atlanta Preservation Council. Milledgeville’s Convention and Visitors Bureau leads trolley tours of the property and numerous visitors pass through the grounds with cameras on a regular basis. Most of these people aren’t breaking any laws as exterior photography is allowed, but urban explorers who trespass inside these dangerous structures are the source of concern.
This was one of my favorite spots on campus when I was a student at Georgia College. Located between Atkinson and Terrell Halls, it was built to protect students walking between the two buildings from the weather, when the campus was much smaller. Today, it’s an icon of the university and one of its most unique architectural highlights. Simply said, it’s a colonnade of Corinthian columns centered by a small dome. I haven’t found a date for the pergola, but Atkinson Hall was built in 1896 and Terrell Hall was built in 1908. I suspect it was built soon after Terrell was completed.
Milledgeville Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
