Category Archives: Shawnee GA

Double Shotgun House, Shawnee

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When I think of Shawnee I think of the Graham and Usher families, and I imagine one of them owned this house, which sits across from the commissary that has become the symbol of the village.

It’s a somewhat rare house type known as a double shotgun. While the lack of windows along most of the side of the house is unappealing today, this was a common practice with utilitarian dwellings. Most of them were rental properties or tenant housing “provided” to employees and since they were already viewed as an added expense by their owners, costs were cut any way they could be. Windows were expensive.

When I photographed this one, in 2015, it was still in relatively good condition. It was overgrown the last time I was in Shawnee.

Saddlebag Cottage, Shawnee

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One of my favorite structures in Effingham County doesn’t actually stand alone, but rather, is attached to the rear of the well-loved Graham Commissary building which stands along the rail line in what was once the Shawnee community .

It has been identified as a residence by a member of the Graham family, who owned the commissary. What’s curious is that most such attachments usually conform to the architecture of the host store, but this one is quite distinct. From Julie Graham Weddle’s comments, I think that some of the Graham grandchildren, the Andrew Ushers, were the later owners of the “cottage”. Apparently, long after the commissary was closed, it was rented out to numerous families.

Architecturally, it’s a saddlebag house. The old window shutters lead me to believe the cottage was there before the commissary, or was moved and attached at some point. It’s one of the nicest vernacular houses in Effingham County on its own merit. This photo dates to 2012. It’s in rapidly deteriorating condition as of this writing.

Graham Commissary, Shawnee

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Not much remains of the ghost town of Shawnee, but the Graham Commissary serves as a reminder of a time when the town was a busy railroad stop. I’m always glad to see the commissary when I’m in the area, and it remains largely unchanged over time.

Julie Graham Weddle writes: Having grown up in Shawnee I have wonderful memories of a great place to be raised. The commissary was my grandfather, Abner E. Graham’s store for his turpentine and sawmill .workers.They bought their essentials from the store. Of course all the staples were in great big bins and were dipped out with a scoop and put in a bag. Thread and other sewing items were on display on the back side of the building. I can remember eating salty smoked mullet from a barrel. Oh, to have some now. Many families lived in the house attached to the store. The cottage was around the corner from our house which was across the road from the commissary. The owners, Cousin Andrew and Cousin Pearl Usher often found us coming in the back door since it was accessible through the garden in our back yard. Her daughter, Miriam, moved to California after she married and thanks to her visits home our family have 8 x 10 black and white photos from the fifties that we cherish..

The Community House was the site of my 16th birthday where my Mom, Jewel Graham, baked and decorated a cake that any baker would have been proud. The year was 1958 and of course the “golden oldies” were all the rage. As we use to say, ” A good time was had by all.” I don’t want to go back in time but it makes me sad to think that our little town is gone except for a few houses and a store.

 

 

Usher House, Shawnee

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Wyatt Morgan writes: This house belonged to Mr. James Usher and Mrs. Pearl Padgett Usher. She lived in the house well into her 90s. She died in the late 80s. They both are buried in the local church cemetery. The family still owns the house and the inside is the exact same as it was the day she died. I am 37 and she used to baby sit me. We would eat rice crispy treats cereal next to the wood burning stove in the kitchen she still to cooked with….with the help of the occasional hot plate.

 

Shawnee Community Center, 1951

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The Shawnee area was settled long before someone named after the Indigenous tribe. This was probably done to satisfy the railroad, which had a siding here. It was at its most productive, commercially, between 1910-1918, when it had a post office. The old community center still stands but has been abandoned for many years.

Julie Graham Weddle writes: …The Community House was the site of my 16th birthday where my Mom, Jewel Graham, baked and decorated a cake that any baker would have been proud [of]. The year was 1958 and of course the “golden oldies” were all the rage. As we used to say, ” A good time was had by all.” I don’t want to go back in time but it makes me sad to think that our little town is gone except for a few houses and a store.