Category Archives: Pitts GA

Sunflowers at Oliver Farm, Pitts

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oliver farm sunflowers pitts ga photograph copyright brian bown vanisihng south georgia usa 2016

Don’t be surprised to see fields full of sunflowers if you’re driving near Pitts in the summertime. Clay Oliver, of Oliver Farm, has grown a new industry in Wilcox County with his highly awarded pecan, sunflower and other cold pressed oils. He’s recently added peanut, sesame, and pumpkin oils and flours to his product line. My personal favorite, which I can’t do without, is the pecan oil, but I also use the sunflower oil. You can order from his website, but many of his products are available in specialty food stores throughout the Southeast, with new locations being added regularly.

New Bethel Primitive Baptist Church, Pitts

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King House, Pitts

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pitts ga three gabled queen anne house photograph copyright brian brown vanishing south georgia usa 2016

Ida Azulay writes: The house pictured was my father’s family home until his death in 1992. The house was built by Mr. Robert King’s father.  My grandfather was born in the house and planted a magnolia tree in the front yard as a child. The tree has long since been taken down. My father and his brother were both born in the house and raised there. My sister and I were the 3rd generation in the house.

8th Street, Pitts

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

8th Street was Pitts’ main drag during its heyday. Many of the historic commercial storefronts have been restored or stabilized in varying degrees by Delano Braziel.

King’s Garage, Pitts

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pitts ga kings garage gas station photograph copyright brian bown vanishing south georgia usa 2010

2010

As you can see from these two photographs, the old King’s Garage has greatly deteriorated over the past six years.

pitts ga kings garage photograph copyright brian brown vanishing south georgia usa 2016

2016

Horace Cantrell House, Pitts

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Finding this house reminded me of all the old houses of my childhood, where there was often an ornamental palm tree and almost always a lantana or two in the front yard. Thanks to Gary Shell for the identification.

Abandoned Theatre, Pitts

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While photographing in Pitts one day, I was told that this was the old movie theatre. Pitts was once a much busier place. Robert Jett notes that this was Jett’s Hardware, operated by his father, E. B. Jett, from about 1955 to 1960; he confirms that it was used as a theatre before then.

Abandoned Schoolhouse, Pitts

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Sidney McWhorter writes: My mother, Mardelle Stonecypher McWhorter, used to tell me every time we went by there, that she went to school there when she was a little girl. Wayne Reed adds, via Facebook: My mother used to walk by this school on her way to school in Pitts This was a black school in the 20’s and 30’s. Mother is 98 and has a great memory. According to Shawn Rhodes, it was most recently used as Snow Hill Church (early 1980s – 2003).

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Pitts, Georgia

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pitts ga historic storefronts mcdonald avenue photograph copyright brian brown vanishing south georgia usa 2010

This iconic view is largely a result of the work of Dr. Delano Braziel, a retired art professor, master potter and native son of Pitts, who has worked diligently to restore the appearance of his hometown. I finally got to meet Dr. Braziel and his son, Jim, on a recent visit and have an even greater appreciation for this place than I did before. “Dr. B” notes that Pitts was founded in the late 1800s and incorporated in 1905. At its peak there were 33 stores and businesses in the town, as well as three doctors. His father, J. H. Braziel operated a general store until December 1971. It was the last business of its kind in Pitts and signaled the end of an era. (From the description of his painting “Downtown Pitts”, © Delano Braziel, 2010).

According to Gerri Lipthratt, Pitts was named for her great-grandfather, Ashley Jordan Pitts, who was also the town’s first postmaster.