West Ward Street runs along the railroad tracks, across from Railroad Street, and could be considered the commercial heart of Shellman today. The pharmacy, at right, was busy the whole time I was in town, a sure sign Shellman hasn’t rolled up the sidewalks just yet.
Shellman Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Curry & Curry Cotton Warehouse is the current occupant of this historic storefront. The facade indicates it may have once housed stores or offices, as well.
Shellman Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
This was likely a bank. Most marble and granite clad buildings I’ve documented in Georgia have been banks.
Shellman Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
The railroad gave birth to Shellman, as it did so many little towns throughout Georgia. It was originally known as Ward, for John P. Ward, who helped bring the Southwest Georgia Railroad into the area. The town was incorporated in 1883 and renamed for W.F. Shellman, a traffic manager for the Central of Georgia Railroad. The C of G built this passenger and freight depot in 1893. It was renovated in the 1990s and is now used for community functions.
Shellman Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Shellman’s historic downtown got a fresh new look in 2018. The six grain silos that dominate Ward Street were transformed into colorful canvases by artist Chris Johnson between 2016-2018. The illustrations were done first, followed by the Georgia and American flags.
Johnson, a native of Roberta, is the director of the visual arts program at Andrew College. He has gained notoriety for his murals in Georgia and Alabama.
Agribusiness is the heartbeat of Shellman, and the city wanted the silos to represent this fact, along with some local history.
One of the murals honors native son Boudleaux Bryant, who along with his wife Felice was one of the most successful songwriters of his generation.
This little cottage is the pinnacle of Victorian style. The center gable is often associated with the earlier Gothic Revival, while the fretwork and posts hint at Carpenter Gothic. Architecturally, it’s one of the nicest houses in Sasser.
This is a textbook Folk Victorian cottage, a style found throughout Georgia. It’s basically a Georgian Cottage made Victorian by the addition of the Queen Anne porch posts.
Sasser Commercial Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church was organized in 1848. The present Romanesque Revival structure, which is quite “high style” for a Primitive Baptist congregation, was built in 1916. The building committee were rightfully proud of their new church and listed their names on the cornerstone: R. H. Jennings was chairman, with W. E. Brim, J. H. Brim, J. E. Brim, J. R. Webb, G. D. McLendon, M. E. McLendon, and A. E. Johnston. I imagine some of those families are still represented in the church today.
Sasser Commercial Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Sasser Baptist Church is a nice example of Gothic Revival architecture. The style was very popular in church construction in the late 1800s and early 1900s because it paid homage to the grand cathedrals of Europe, and really, has never gone out of stye.
I’m not sure about the date or the church history, but it’s very similar to the Sasser Methodist Church, built in 1914 and located nearby. One architectural survey dates the Baptist Church to 1894, though that may be an establishment date. It has also been identified on maps as Sasser First Baptist Church, but the current sign on the property identifies it as Sasser Baptist Church.
Sasser Commercial Historic District, National Register of Historic Places