Joseph L. Fincher (1850-1915), a jeweler by trade, was twice mayor of Fort Valley. This was the first house to be electrified in Fort Valley. It is also known as the Adamson House.
This magnificent work of architecture is still in the Wright family, presently owned by the great-grandson of W. C. Wright, who was a pioneer of Georgia’s peach industry and a banker.
Everett Square Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
This Craftsman bungalow was built by the son of W. C. Wright, whose house can be seen in the preceding post. Note that both utilize light brick and green Ludowici tile roofs. It’s also known as the Butler house.
Everett Square Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
This home was built by Samuel Rumph for his mother, Caroline Elizabeth Plant Rumph (1829-1896) but she died a couple of years after it was completed. It is more commonly known as the Windham House today. Rumph was the father of the commercial peach industry in Georgia. His home in nearby Marshallville is a well-known landmark.
Everett Square Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
This was the home of Dr. Andrew Smoak Marshall (1919-2006). The following biographical background comes from his obituary: Dr. Marshall was born on January 4, 1919 in Perry, Georgia to the late Charles Pierce Marshall, Jr. and Agnes Smoak Marshall. He graduated from Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, and in 1944 from Tulane University Medical School, New Orleans, Louisiana. Upon graduating from Medical School, he was commissioned in the Medical Corps, United States Navy, and served in the Pacific aboard the USS Haraden, DD 585, as the Ship’s Medical Officer. Upon his release from active duty, he completed his medical training at Columbus Medical Center, Columbus, Georgia, and then established his medical practice in Roberta, Georgia. Shortly thereafter, he moved his medical practice to Fort Valley, Georgia and in 1964 was a founding partner in Valley Medical Group. Dr. Marshall was instrumental in the establishment and building of the Peach County Hospital. He was one of the first medical doctors to be certified in the field of abdominal surgery. He retired from his medical practice in 1986…
The present owner of this house writes: I’ve forgotten what I was told by the seller about the original builder. But it was completed in 1922, or at least that’s the first date that it appears on the town records. I’ll have to ask some “old timers” about details going back farther than about 1950.
I can tell you that Dr. Marshall was the area physician for many years; many a child of Peach County was delivered by Dr. Marshall, and indeed, when people ask where I live, I say, “I’ve bought the Marshall house.”
The Marshalls raised their 4 children in the home; at one point, evidently Dr. Marshall got tired of laundry being done at all hours of the night while he was trying to sleep, and he solved that problem by rigging the laundry machines out in the carport. (I had them put back inside.)
The youngest Marshall child raised their child in the home, but that child is now grown, and did not want the house, and so it was sold to me.
It was originally a variation on a shotgun house (note the funky angle of the front door), but it has been altered over the years. Originally, it was a single story; what is now the dining room would have been the 2nd bedroom.
The sunporch (3:00 in the photo) was enclosed into a “family room” some years back, and two bedrooms & a bath were added upstairs. Still later, a “second master” was added to the upstairs, as well.
If you look over the roof line, what DON’T you see? Take a moment … these houses were heated by coal; each main room would have had a coal fireplace (smaller than a wood-burning fireplace). And so this house does have four fireplaces (originally 6) … but you will note that there are NO CHIMNEYS.
Sometime in the 60’s, Dr. Marshall put in central (propane) heating; presumably the chimneys were still there at the time, because the ceramic inserts with the honeycomb plaques are still in place (even in the bathrooms). But during some subsequent re-roofing, (perhaps when central air conditioning became popular?) the decision must have been made to do away with the chimneys. They were sheared off, capped, and roofed over. A shame, if you ask me; I have 4 fireplaces that I can’t use.
Other than that unfortunate reality, I do love this house. It’s big and quirky and charming.
Everett Square Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Though there is some debate as to its specific use, this is thought to be one of few remaining interlocking/signal towers in Georgia. At this time, it can only be confirmed that a telegraph office was located on the second floor and the Van Roy Restaurant on the first floor. I’m not sure as to the date of construction but I would guess 1910s.
Fort Valley Downtown & Railroad Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
This structure, built as a grist mill around 1895, has most recently been known as the Jolly Nut Company. Established in 1924, it’s one of the oldest specialty produce businesses in the area.
Update: The Meyer family, who owned the Jolly Nut Company since the 1940s, closed the business in 2014. It was an important landmark and is greatly missed. The building remains.
Fort Valley Downtown & Railroad Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
The Austin has an interesting history. It was built as a dry goods store around the turn of the last century. George H. Slappey added the second floor auditorium after he purchased it in 1915. Upon Mr. Slappey’s death in 1934, the theater was sold to the Martin-Thompson chain and its named was changed to the Peach Theater. The Peach went out of business in 1968 and after years of general disrepair and disuse, the county supported its renovation in 1999. It’s used for local cultural events and has been rechristened the Austin, though it doesn’t have seats or a screen anymore. While I think it’s wonderful that they did such a great restoration of the exterior, it seems unfortunate that it’s not a theater anymore, in the truest sense of the word.
Fort Valley Downtown & Railroad Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
At its peak, the fruit-packing industry was so dominant in Peach County that at least two settlements took on the name of companies that were vital to the area’s economy. One was Lee Pope. Another was Miami Valley, named for the area around Lebanon, Ohio, where the company that built this barn was headquartered. Although the name Miami Valley appears on maps to this day, it’s scarcely known outside Peach County. It’s located at the edge of Fort Valley and most people passing through would assume it to be Fort Valley anyway.
