Georgian Cottage, Milledgeville

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Saddlebag Farmhouse, Dooly County

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Shiloh United Methodist Church, 1894, Dooly County

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Thanks to its location near Interstate 75, this church has likely been seen by millions of people over the years. I’m among those who have traveled the highway over the years and noticed a beautiful old church on the horizon as I passed through Dooly County. Shiloh was established in 1874 as a brush arbor by Reverend C. E. Boland. In 1883, James T. Jackson donated an acre of land for the construction of a permanent facility. Mrs. Sally Brown gave the church its name and a small building and school were soon completed. My research suggests the present structure was built in 1894. It is still an active congregation.

Randolph Cemetery, Harrisburg

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Randolph Cemetery, set on a precipitous hillside southwest of Milledgeville, has the appearance of a typical early-20th-century African-American burying ground, with many handmade headstones and grave markers sourced from local materials. This monumental folk art arch makes it anything but a typical cemetery. [It might also be of interest that it is believed that a descendant of one of George Washington’s slaves is buried here].

The top of the arch contains relief carvings of oak leaves, plus some possible clues about the builder. Below a random series of letters and numbers [K PL47, perhaps designating Knights of Pythias Lodge 47?] and the phrase “He Watches Over Me” is what appears to be the date 1923 and the initials F B and ARB. It’s possible that the B is for Brown, as there are several Browns in this cemetery, but that is only a guess.

On both sides of the arch, there are relief depictions of traditional miners’ tools.
Considering that mining activity has persisted for the better part of two centuries in this area, it’s possible the builder was involved in the industry in some way. I even believe he may have used rock from his job in the construction of the arch. The shovel on the right (above) also has initials ending with the letter “B”.
Nearly as fascinating as the arch is this adjacent headstone for Cora Randolph (31 December 1875?-26 July 1924). If you look closely at the top of the marker you will see a handprint to the left. I’m grateful to my friend Cynthia Jennings, who has documented cemeteries in all 159 Georgia counties and has a particular interest in African-American cemeteries, for suggesting I find this place. It immediately became one of my favorite African-American cemeteries and I hope to learn more about the arch. It’s among the most important vernacular funerary monuments in Georgia.

Bodrey House, Dooly County

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This exceptional double-pen farmhouse in northwestern Dooly County, featuring a shed room at the rear, is a highly stylized example of the form. Queen Anne porch posts give the house its distinct appearance, and the floor-to-ceiling windows and transom are unusual features for such a small house.

Valerie Bodrey writes: This is my family’s house, the Bodreys. There used to be a kitchen off the back of it connected by a walkway, as I hear was common back then. My dream is to refurbish this gem. You’ll find me swinging on the front porch every time I visit home.

Inside is a hallway down the center. The double doors open into that one hallway (not a separate entry, just 2 doors for width when needed). There are 4 rooms, one of which became the new kitchen after the detached one was gone. Plus the little add-on room at the back & back porch.

Thanks to Tony Cantrell for making me aware of this gem.

Coody Dairy, 1950, Dooly County

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This utilitarian block structure is typical of mid-20th-century commercial dairies. Coody’s, like numerous other local dairies, was the main supplier of milk to much of Dooly County in its day.