Category Archives: Thomson GA

Usry House, 1795, Thomson

I’ve found numerous prominent homes in scattered Georgia towns which are examples of architectural evolution, or put simply, houses that grew over time. The Usry House may be one of the best examples of this practical phenomenon, having originated as a one or two room cottage and expanded throughout the years to its present appearance. The suspended balcony is said to be one of the largest in Georgia.

Long before McDuffie County or Thomson existed, the land on which this house was built was part of Warren County. William Usry’s family moved to Georgia from Virginia and first appear in the Warren County Tax Digest in 1805. Per Jonathon Davila: [The house, now called The Usry-Davila House, was built in 1795. My husband and I are the current owners. The roof, walls and floor of the original 2 room cottage are still here, the large house was built around the original cottage. Even though my husband is a very distant relation to the Usrys, we are the first family to live in the house that wasn’t directly Usry. Hence, the name change]. Usry was a successful plantation owner and like all plantations of the time, its success was dependent on the labor of enslaved men, women, and children. After the war, the Usry family wisely looked beyond agriculture for income and created the Goodrich-Usry Railroad to move timber from their vast holdings along Little Briar Creek to nearby markets. They were successful entrepreneurs in various pursuits.

Members of the Usry family lived here and maintained its historical character for well over two centuries.

National Register of Historic Places

Thomas E. Watson House, 1880, Thomson

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This was the home of Thomas E. Watson, before he built Hickory Hill nearby. According to the Historical Marker placed in 2001 by the Georgia Historical Society and the Watson-Brown Foundation: After passing the state Bar in 1876, native Thomas E. Watson returned to Thomson and lived in this house with his family from 1881 to 1900. In his first floor office Watson began his law and writing career and entered politics. He served in the Georgia House (1882), U.S. Congress (1890–92), and the U.S. Senate (1920–22). He was nominated for Vice President on the Populist Party ticket with William Jennings Bryan in 1896. Here Watson authored the two-volume Story of France and a biography of Napoleon. In a career often marked by controversy*, he was best known as the “Father of Rural Free Delivery.”

*-Thomas E. Watson was, as Carol Pierannunzi highlighted: …one of the more perplexing and controversial among Georgia politicians. In his early years he was characterized as a liberal, especially for his time. In later years he emerged as a force for white supremacy and anti-Catholic rhetoric...as [a] vice presidential candidate in 1896, he achieved national recognition for his egalitarian, agrarian agenda…He is remembered for being a voice for Populism and the disenfranchised, and later in life, as a southern demagogue and bigot.

While I am perplexed by Watson, who began his public life in such an enlightened way before turning to the darker impulses of the region, I am pleased that the Watson-Brown Foundation has done much good work for people and historical spaces of all backgrounds. This home, along with Hickory Hill and Brown’s birthplace, are maintained by the foundation and are open for tours by appointment. I was in town on a holiday weekend so didn’t get to take the tour. I hope to on my next visit.

Queen Anne House, 1901, Thomson

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This classic Queen Anne now houses real estate offices and is very nicely maintained. It may be a “Barber House”, i.e. built from one of the pattern books of prolific Victorian architect George Franklin Barber.

Federal Style House, Circa 1859, Thomson

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This house is a good example of the evolution of the Federal style that continued throughout the 19th century. The portico itself is not very “Federal” but the overall massing of the house is definitely influenced by it. I hope to learn more about this house.

McNeill House, 1937, Thomson

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The McNeill House is an amazing International Style house based on plans by famed architect Edward Durrell Stone in 1937. The home would have been radically modern for a town the size of Thomson during the 1930s and still has a futuristic feel.

The builder of the home, David Armstrong McNeill, Sr. (1873-1953), was the founder, with his brother, Frank J. McNeill, of the Armstrong Box Company of Chicago, a manufacturer of wooden boxes. After a fire they moved South, first to Johnson City , Tennessee, in 1920, and to Thomson, circa 1931. In addition to his work with the box company, McNeill was a successful entrepreneur in other businesses, as well. He was also a personal friend of the famed Olympian and Tarzan actor, Johnny Weismuller.

The house remained in the family for at least three generations and may still be in their ownership. It was fully restored circa 1990 and remains one of the most iconic examples of International Style domestic architecture in Georgia.

National Register of Historic Places

Mission Revival House, Thomson

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