Category Archives: Roberta GA

Roberta, Georgia

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Wright Avenue, the heart of downtown Roberta. The Benjamin Hawkins monument is in the foreground. The two-story building at left was the Crawford County Bank and the Bank of Roberta from 1900-1928 and the post office from 1929-1962.

When the Atlanta & Florida Railway bypassed Knoxville in 1888, opting to build a depot about a mile away, the settlement of Roberta began. It was originally known as New Knoxville, after the county seat. When Hiram David McCrary (1847-1912) and James Mathews gave the right of way for the railroad, McCrary, who was also an active entrepreneur, was allowed to choose a name for it. He chose Roberta, in honor of his daughter*. *-Mattie Roberta McCrary Champion (1881-1977)

General Store, circa 1890s. In 1922, it became the R. E. Bankston Store.

The old Bankston Store is a great example of restoration. It’s located adjacent to the bank/post office building.

Roberta Drugs (I found the photo). This is the oldest operating business in Roberta.

The corner entrance was a popular commercial style in the early 20th century.

East Agency Street, named for the Creek Agency headquartered here in the days of Benjamin Hawkins.

I made these photos a few years ago, so some of these business have been repainted. For a small town, Roberta does a good job of maintaining its historic commercial structures and still uses them all, as best I can see. I don’t encounter that in many places.

West Agency Street

Roberta Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

Southern Railway Caboose, Roberta

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A marker at the caboose is dedicated to the memory of Clarence Moseley “Ribs” Peel (8 November 1897-8 October 1955) and his wife Jessie Blackwell Peel (5 May 1907-18 October 2001).  Mr. Peel, who was a trainman with the Southern Railway for 38  years, died in a railroad accident near Hazlehurst. After receiving information (which later proved to be incorrect) that another train was fast approaching his, he made the supreme sacrifice of staying with his train so that his co-workers could disembark and be safe. Mrs. Peel considered this spot hallowed ground as her husband spent so much of his career here. The moving memorial was placed by their children, Bettie Jane Rigdon, Claudine Peel, Juanita Goodson, Carlise Moncrief, and Claire Mattox, in 2010.

Roberta Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

Old Musella Methodist Church, Roberta

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Presently known as the Lindsey Building and is used as the Roberta-Crawford Civic Center, this building was originally located in Musella and served as the Methodist church there. Thanks to Beth Paul and Frank Spearman for the identification. Mr. Spearman writes that Reverend Jim Hamlin notes it was de-commissioned years ago. Maurice Lindsey’s family were the last surviving members. Maurice, a rural mail carrier, died years ago and his wife, Betty, died about three weeks ago.

Roberta Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

Benjamin Hawkins Monument, 1931, Roberta

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The text on this monument gives a good overview of Colonel Hawkins’ life. [Some of the language would hopefully not be used today, such as referring to Native Americans as ‘savages’. I don’t think it’s “politically correct” to find that offensive]. Erected in 1931 by the United States government to commemorate the life and public service of Colonel Benjamin Hawkins, who was born in Warren County, N. C.  August 15, 1754 and died at the Creek Indian Agency on the Flint River, June 6, 1816. He was a student at Princeton and shortly after the beginning of the Revolution became a member of General Washington’s staff with the rank of Colonel, serving with distinction throughout the war. He was one of the first senators from North Carolina and was conspicuous for his interest in Indian affairs. Colonel Hawkins was asked by General Washington to assume jurisdiction over all the Indian tribes south of the Ohio River. At the height of his career he came to Georgia and established his home among the Creek Indians on the banks of the Flint River in Crawford County. He built the fort which was named in his honor on the Ocmulgee River at Macon and lived there while the fort was being erected, but his permanent home was at the Creek Agency. His body lies on a bluff overlooking the Flint River where he lived among the savage tribes for 16 years, a man of letters, a mediator of peace and faithful unto death.

Colonel Benjamin Hawkins – Public Domain Image via Wikipedia

Roberta Historic District, National Register of Historic Places