Category Archives: Ocilla GA

Free Will Baptist Church, 1919, Ocilla

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Joe Aycock wrote that the cornerstone of this structure, which I didn’t locate when I photographed it, identified the building as Ocilla Chapel, AD 1919. Karen Phillips writes: For most of its history this was known as the Free Will Baptist Church, located on 7th Street between Oak Street and Maple Street. It was probably built in the early 1900s. It was moved to its present location in the mid-2000s and is now occupied by an African-American congregation known as the Church of Deliverance. To me, it’s the most unique church building in Ocilla. I hope it can be preserved in its present appearance.

Vernacular Greek Revival House, Ocilla

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Though not a Greek Revival in the truest sense, this is a nice vernacular interpretation.

Neoclassical Revival House, 1920s, Ocilla

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This is another of Ocilla’s grandest homes, and it’s been recently restored. Mary Lou Paulk writes: “I own this property and restored in exterior and landscaped the grounds. Today I was searching for an old photograph of the house that had previously had been posted on this site several years ago and happily found this photograph. The house was originally built in the 1920’s. It is one of three houses called the sister houses in Ocilla. All three of the houses are still standing and are occupied by their owners. The interior of this house was extensively remodeled in the 1990’s. I did some additional remodeling.“

Ocilla United Methodist Church, 1912

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In his History of Irwin County (Atlanta, Foote & Davies, 1932), J. B. Clements writes: The Methodists must have been in Irwin County as early as the Baptists, if not earlier. He notes that the first known Methodist circuit rider in the area was John W. Yarborough, a young man just from the mountains and his first appointment was the Irwin Mission in Irwin County. This was in 1832. In 1866, another Methodist circuit rider noted he rode seventeen miles through Irwin County without seeing a single dwelling or a living thing save a deer leaping through the woods. Methodists were fairly sparse in Irwin County throughout most of the 19th-century. Unfortunately, Clements does not give any account of the history of the Ocilla Methodist Church in his work, though he does include a photograph of the building. It’s likely that it dates to the first decade of Ocilla’s incorporation, between 1897-1907.

 

Ocilla Truck Stop, Circa 1960

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Collection of Brian Brown

This postcard from my collection dates to around 1960. I regret I never photographed this place, which was demolished some time before 2006.

Ocilla Post Office, 1960

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This typical mid-century post office was built during the last year of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration.

Pyramidal Tenant Farmhouse, Irwin County

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Kim Taylor writes: …my mom, Patsy Collins (Collins is her maiden name) said that this use to be our Uncle Hamp Darley’s house. She remembers playing there many times when she was a little girl. It had only a kitchen and one bedroom. 

I have photographed this house on Frank Road several times over the years. It’s an exceptional utilitarian form.

Update: As of 2020, this structure is no longer standing.

A. T. Fuller Lumber Company, Ocilla

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A. T. Fuller was a well-known landowner and timber operator in south central Georgia for a good part of the 20th century. I made these film photographs of his headquarters in 2001.  The structures were razed not long after, but represent an important era in the development of South Georgia. Andrew Taylor writes: “This is the warehouse my grandfather (AT Fuller) used for his lumber mill and building supply business. It was a long string of buildings behind the front office. A railroad track ran along its side. The doors were raised to the level of the railroad cars to allow unloading. As a kid in the 1960s, I used to run through the buildings from end to end, delighted in the variety of objects stored inside. I believe the warehouse was built in the 1930s, but it could have been earlier.”

The top two shots illustrate the warehouse, and the bottom image features Mr. A. T.’s  office.

Farmers Cold Storage, Ocilla

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This photo, and the one following, illustrate “cold storage” facilities, which were very common in the mid-2oth century, before the proliferation of supermarkets. Farmer’s Cold Storage had the motto “Home of Fine Cured Meats”. Almost every town of any size had a favored local “meat market”, and most offered storage for local meat producers. With the increase in concern over chemical additives and growth hormones, such businesses are beginning to reappear. The locavore movement, so-called for its reliance and insistence on locally grown foods and livestock, will help lead the revival of places like this, and I, for one, think it’s a great development.

Griffin’s Cold Storage, 1944, Ocilla

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A nice example of Streamline Moderne architecture, this structure was sadly demolished in 2012. According to Hugh Roberts, this was originally known as McCranie’s Freezer Locker until around 1956 or 1957 it became Griffin’s. It was purchased from the McCranies by Webster (Web) and Wylene Whitley Griffin. Thanks to their son, Noah, for some of the historical background. Alan Griffin writes: I recall visiting Uncle Web’s place many times while growing up and fondly recall the smell of fresh pork shoulders on the pit, Web making his BBQ sauce, and of course sneaking a taste while helping chop the pork. In summer, we’d usually get to spend a week or two and we would explore every part of the building. The coolers ((hanging hogs, beef quarters and all) were always a welcome escape from the South Georgia heat in July! A cherished place of my youth!