The Fair stores were a small chain in Southwest Georgia.
Sylvester Commercial Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
The Fair Store, Sylvester
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Category Archives: –WORTH COUNTY GA–
C. W. Hillhouse House, 1891, Sylvester
Now home to the Worth County Historical Society Museum and referred to as the Historical Society House & Museum, this was the first house built by C. W. Hillhouse in Sylvester. It’s the second-oldest house in the city. Originally located on the corner of Isabella and Franklin Streets (where CVS is now located), it was moved to its present location around 1904. C. W. Hillhouse’s granddaughter, Theresa Hillhouse Harris, who was very active in the local D. A. R. chapter and the historical society deeded the home to the Worth County Historical Society upon her death. Many thanks to Lynn R. Fowler for sharing the story of the house.
Post Office, Oakfield
Store & Post Office, Oakfield
Clyde Watson writes: I was raised in Oakfield and know that this building was not only a store but the lady that owned and operated the store was also post master at that time. The Door on the left of the building was where the mail boxes were at and you went through that door to get your mail. The other door was the entrance of the store. I have some very fond memories of this place in the late forties and early fifties.
First Baptist Church, 1920, Sylvester
Though begun in 1900, this church didn’t take on its present appearance until a complete remodel in 1920. The congregation dates to 1891.
Bank of Worth County, 1915, Sylvester
Art Sutton writes about the history of this building long after it served as a bank: After the Bank of Worth County moved to their new location, two of the major stockholders of the bank, Dr. J.M. Sutton and James Rouse formed Worth County Broadcasters, Inc. and started Worth County’s first radio station, WOGA, “WOrth county GA”. The station’s studios and offices were located in this building. The station’s 185 ft tower was located on Highway 256 (Scooterville Highway) at the city of limits of Sylvester. The station began operations in December 1963 at 1540 on the AM dial. It was a daytimer, only authorized by the Federal Communications Commission to operate from sunrise to sunset with 1,000 watts. The station had a variety music format and was very popular with local citizens but the station had limited financial success. In 1975, an Albany minister purchased the station and changed its format to religious then in 1979, Irv Feldman of Booneville, Mississippi relocated to Sylvester and returned local programming to the station. The call sign was changed from WOGA to WRSG for “Radio Sylvester Georgia” While Feldman likely built the station’s advertising revenues to their highest level ever, FM radio stations outside of Worth County were deeply eroding the audience levels of WRSG and other South Georgia AM stations. The station was sold once more before it left the airwaves and the license was cancelled by the FCC. I began my career in radio broadcasting at WOGA in 1977 at the age of 15. Now, 34 years later, I remain in the business and own a Toccoa, GA based group of radio stations operating in northeast Georgia, western North Carolina and upstate South Carolina.
Sylvester Commercial Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Williams Grocery, Bridgeboro
Mike Ley, via Mrs. Mary Elleen Willis Ley, writes that this was once known as Hollingsworth General Store, owned by Henry and Minnie Hollingsworth. In 2011, David Chatman wrote: At one time this was “Williams Grocery”, owned by my Grandfather, Mr. Seth Williams. With certain daylight shining on the bricks just above the tin “patio” cover, the “Williams Grocery” name is still legible. I have a photo of my Grandfather standing in front of this store all dressed in his finest white shirt, a tie, the inevitable Fedora of the time, with the lettering shining brilliantly. Stories within the family are that his Dad owned many acres of land just east of this store towards what is now Doerun, Ga. I imagine more people may know it as Williams Grocery.
Worth Gin Company, Sylvester
Vernacular Farmhouse, Worth County
This house, located between Sumner and Poulan, was well-known to travelers on US 82 for many years. It was obviously a combination of three smaller houses. I believe the board-and-batten section in the middle was possibly original to the location, with the wings being added at a later date.
Though it would have probably been lost due to deterioration, it was a victim of arson not long after I photographed it.
International Loadstar 1600, Oakfield
These old International trucks were some of the great workhorses of their day, and some are even still in use.
