Category Archives: –PIERCE COUNTY GA–

Mershon Elementary School, Circa 1955, Pierce County

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A sign above the door identifies this structure as the Mershon School. More specifically, it served as an elementary school before consolidation did away with the need for the rural schools that served crossroads communities for much of the state’s history. The architecture is very utilitarian, with the Spanish Mission-inspired [I presume] entryway being the only thing faintly decorative about the building. Most likely, it only served the community for 10-15 years. I’d love to hear from anyone who attended and who knows more about the history.

It’s used as the Mershon Social Club today and the last time I drove by there was a sign for the Volunteer Fire Department on the side of the building. They likely use it for meetings. At least its still serving the community.

Sergio Furnari’s ‘Lunchtime on a Skyscraper’ in Blackshear

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I just located these photographs, which I made on 30 April 2017 when passing through Blackshear. They were an unusual advertisement for the opening of a new business, but that business is no longer open, so this is not an advertisement. It was an amazing display of art in an area that doesn’t often see this kind of work.

The life-sized resin sculpture, 40 feet wide, is the work of Sicilian-born artist Sergio Furnari.

The photograph on which the sculpture is based, “Lunch atop a Skyscraper”, was made 850 feet above the street and the men depicted were building the RCA Building. It was first attributed to Lewis Hine, but the identity of the photographer is now in debate. For a time, it was credited to Charles C. Ebbets, but that is now disputed, as well.

It is considered one of the most iconic images of the Great Depression and typifies the American work ethic of the time.

Furnari has made multiple casts of the sculpture in varying sizes and materials. It has been used by many businesses for promotional purposes.

The work was displayed near the site of the World Trade Center after the September 11 attacks.

General Store, Mershon

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I’ve nearly completed my edits of counties north of the Fall Line, and am exploring my extensive South Georgia files now. This house stands out in my mind from many travels in Pierce County. The photo dates to 2017, so it may be gone by now. I believe it was at Mershon.

Scott Thompson writes: This was actually a store. The owners lived in the back of this building. There was a very similar building adjacent to this one that was also a little store. It was torn down a few years ago.

Red Shed, Patterson

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This is located on an otherwise empty lot across Hyers Street from the old educational complex. I don’t know anything about it, but I’m sharing it because I like barns and shed, and especially when they’re sided in red “tar paper” or more properly, false brick siding. William Christenberry‘s photograph “Red Building in Forest, Hale County, Alabama” is one of the images that inspired me to begin this project 15 years ago.

Garage Apartment, Patterson

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Structures of this nature, even when used as a primary residence, are referred to as garage apartments, and were considered very modern in the 1920s and 1930s, the height of their popularity. Variations are still being built today. They featured a garage on the lower level and an apartment, usually a bedroom, bathroom, and combined living area and kitchen on the upper level. Since most were part of properties that featured a primary residence, they were often rental properties. In a sense, they were the carriage houses of the early automobile era. Surviving examples are often still used for rental income or as guest houses.

School Building, Patterson

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This building sits about a block behind the old Patterson High School. It could have been anything from a vocational annex to an elementary school building. The whole area at the corner of Williams Street and Hyers Street is one large educational campus. I will update as soon as I know more and would be grateful for any information.

Patterson High School, Pierce County

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The old Patterson High School has been nicely restored and is great example of a community saving an important element of its past. It’s now known as Eagle Station and is home to city offices and public use spaces, as well. For a small town, this is a big win. My best guess is that it was built in the 1920s or 1930s. The Spanish Mission Revival influence in the architecture was commonly used in school architecture during that time.

Patterson Gymnasium, Pierce County

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This is the old Patterson High School gymnasium. It’s in better shape than most of the surviving wooden gymnasiums built before World War II. Basketball was usually the biggest sport in rural communities in the first half of the 20th century and this was the home of the Patterson High Eagles. I believe it was built in the 1930s [early 1940s at the latest].

Enon Primitive Baptist Church, Pierce County

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All of the Crawfordite meeting houses have a similar style, most notable in their primitive board-and-batten architecture, but each has distinct elements. Enon is a very “long” church, when taking its layout into consideration. It overlooks a beautiful piece of farmland and has expansive views of the surrounding area. It is still an active congregation. Thanks to member Brittany Mixon Ragan for sharing.

New Home Primitive Baptist Church, Pierce County

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Though this congregation no longer holds regular services, their meeting house and cemetery are well-maintained.

I still hope that these important resources will one day be collectively added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The interiors of these wonderful structures are just as “plain” as their exteriors.

Though I’ve photographed nearly a dozen of these meeting houses, it always impresses me to see that the emphasis isn’t on decoration but on creating a place where the service is the primary focus.