This photo was made in 2010 and like many I’ve shared today, the house is probably gone by now. It’s a classic example of a shotgun house.
Shotgun House, Irwin County
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Winged-Gable Farmhouse, Irwin County
This old farmhouse was located in the southwestern part of Irwin County, off Five Bridge Road, and I drove past it for many years wondering if it would survive, and who lived here and made it a home. This photograph from my archives dates to 2012, and was made in the winter, because the house was almost completely hidden by vegetation during the spring and summer months. I don’t know its fate but suspect it is gone.
Saddlebag Farmhouse, Irwin County
This saddlebag house has an attached wing. If true to the form, it originally had two front doors. I photographed it in 2012 in the Satilla Church area and am not sure if it’s still standing.
Holt Baptist Church, Irwin County
Holt Baptist Church is one of several historic congregations in the Holt community. It was founded by George Washington Freeman (1855-1930) and Susan Amanda House Freeman (1863-1968) in 1916. It’s likely the church building was constructed around this time. The Freemans came to Irwin County from Wilkes County. I believe Mrs. Freeman was a native of Lincoln County.
Winged-Gable Farmhouse, Irwin County
This house was the center of a small farm that was kept up for many years, even when no one lived here. The photograph dates to 2010; the house was recently demolished. There are still barns on the property, painted bright red like the house.
Central Hallway Farmhouse, Irwin County
A classic late-19th century vernacular house, this example near Lands Crossing is yet another illustration of the expansion of the utilitarian central hallway form. A shed room was added at the rear of the structure and another wing was attached, perhaps a kitchen. I wouldn’t be surprised if there weren’t logs beneath the siding. The windows bordering the door are a bit unusual. One would expect to find full-length sidelights instead. I suspect this is a later modification, done for a practical reason. It’s one of the nicest and oldest examples of this house type in Irwin County.
Tobacco Barn, Irwin County
Another barn from deep in the archives, this one was photographed in 2010. I believe it collapsed a few years later, but cannot confirm at this time. It was located somewhere off Five Bridge Road and was notably larger than other tobacco barns I’ve documented in Irwin County.
Tobacco Barn, Irwin County
This photo dates to 2010; the barn is no longer standing.
Post Office, Mystic
This shotgun style building originally served as a store, if I recall correctly, but has been the Mystic post office for many years. My father and I have bought stamps and sent mail from here on several occasions and it’s an experience in itself. It still has a tiny wood-paneled lobby with the old-fashioned mail boxes. And it’s only open for a couple of hours each day. Call me delusional, but I think it’s important for small communities to have services like this. Irwinville lost its post office a few years back and it’s still sorely missed.
Irwinville Farms Tobacco Barn, 1930s
This is the last of the Irwinville Farms locations I’ll be sharing for a while. I’m hoping to document more the next time I’m in the area. This one is located near Jeff Davis Park and is another good example of the quality construction of the Irwinville Farms project. I really wish all the surviving structures of the project could be added to the National Register of Historic Places, or at least recognized locally. The families that have maintained them for nearly 90 years obviously appreciate them and I am grateful for that.