Twin City Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
General Store, Twin City
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Category Archives: Twin City GA
Commissary, Twin City
Twin City Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
O. A. Hall Store, 1929, Twin City
The O. A. Hall Store opened in 1929 and was operated by Mrs. Hall for many years. In fact, it’s better known as the Mrs. O. A. Hall Store. It’s the oldest in Emanuel County. Though no longer a general store, the business is still in operation as a pecan buying point and agricultural supply. I spoke with the son-in-law of the present owner who’s a grandson of O. A. Hall, and he related that the business is still profitable though it’s changed with the times. He said the biggest item in the store today is pine straw twine.
Diane Hall Pritchard writes: O A Hall Store was opened in 1929 by my grandparents Ottis & Georgia Hall. My Daddy Ottis Jr”Bud” worked there as well. Daddy took over after the death of my grandfather in early 1960’s. My grandmother continued working at store until her health declined. Daddy continued running store and was later joined by his brother George and my mother Madolyn. Daddy passed away in 2015 and Mama passed away in 2018. My uncle George continues to keep our family business running.
Twin City Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Millen & Southern Railway Depot, 1890s, Twin City
The Rogers & Summit Railway was established in 1889 to bring rail service into eastern Emanuel County. Its replacement, the Millen & Southern Railway, was completed by 1892; the depot likely dates to around that time. In 1897, the railroad’s name was changed to the Millen & Southwestern. The Georgia & Florida Railroad purchased the line, along with several others, in 1906 and in the process of linking these to form an Augusta-to-Madison-Florida route, built new tracks and bypassed Summit. Summit and Graymont merged to become Twin City in 1920. Decreasing rail traffic lead to the closure of the line in 1950.
Twin City Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Baptist Rest Primitive Baptist Church, 1906, Twin City
I originally thought this church was built for another congregation and might have had another steeple, but Eileen Dudley notes that it was built this way. Eileen is the program manager for Historic Twin City and is largely responsible for getting National Register status for the city.
Twin City Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Twin City United Methodist Church, 1927, Emanuel County
Twin City Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Old Methodist Parsonage, Circa 1890, Twin City
This is presently used as the Twin City United Methodist Church Preschool.
Twin City Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Church of Christ, Twin City
This structure is adjacent to the Emanuel County Institute campus. It’s now the nursery for the First Baptist Church. Thanks to Eileen Dudley for the identification.
Twin City Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Old Jail, Circa 1900, Twin City
Thanks to Wesley Hendley for the identification. He notes that this old calaboose was later used as the city hall. The cells inside were made by the E. T. Barnum Iron Works of Detroit. The building is now a museum.
Twin City Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
St. James A.M.E. Zion Church, 1908, Twin City
Churches of this style are increasingly endangered. It was once common among African-American congregations in the rural South.
From the 3 December 2014 edition of the Swainsboro Forest-Blade: Many of the details of St. James A. M. E. Zion Church’s history are lost to time, but the congregation’s beginnings were in the 1890s. Sam Mitchell, who was married to Sudie Rountree Mitchell, was one of its founders, and Will Mincey was its earliest pastor. The church structure itself was built in 1908 under the leadership of Reverend J. H. Williams. The building was erected by Reverend R. Lee with the help of a group of trustees.