Greek Revival Storefront, Oglethorpe

This building has always intrigued me. Tax records date it to 1900, but its Greek Revival design suggests it’s likely older than that. It’s definitely older than other commercial buildings in Oglethorpe. The floor plan appears from the exterior to be a double-shotgun form, but this may have been a modification. The left side has a window flanked by two doors, and the right side has the more typical configuration of a door flanked by two windows. The building is five bays deep, with narrowly spaced 9 over 9 windows. At the time of this photograph (2009), the commercial spaces were occupied by Tyson’s Wings, and Haddock Sister Designer Hats. I hope to learn the history.

Jule Windham House, Circa 1910, Montezuma

This impressive Neoclassical Revival landmark is just a few steps up the sidewalk from the McKenzie House, with an English Vernacular Revival cottage in between the two.

Montezuma Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

W. H. McKenzie House, 1901, Montezuma

William Hill McKenzie, Sr. (1872-1955) was a successful businessman in Macon County, as this magnificent Neoclassical Revival mansion would suggest. He was married to Anne Ione “Annie” Lewis McKenzie (1875-1940), and one of their sons shared his father’s name. I presume that this house was built by the elder W. H. McKenzie. Built at the turn of the last century, it continues to be beautifully maintained to this day.


Montezuma Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

Queen Anne House, Montezuma

I photographed this house, located across from the Baptist church on Dooly Street, in 2016. At the time, there was a sign in the front yard that read: “Bethlehem Baptist Church, Jerry Sanders, Pastor”. I don’t know the association, but apparently, the house was used in some way by that congregation.

Note: This replaces a post originally published on 24 July 2016 as “Folk Victorian House, Montezuma”

Montezuma Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

Queen Anne House, Douglas

The dormer is a later addition to this tall Queen Anne home.

Gaskin Avenue Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

Eclectic Victorian House, 1910, Douglas

Gaskin Avenue Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

Neoclassical Cottage, 1912, Douglas

Gaskin Avenue Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

Package Store, Broxton

I don’t know about other states, but Georgia for many years identified all of its liquor stores as package stores in a dubious attempt at propriety, an extension of its so-called “Blue Laws” which made sure no intoxicants were sold on Sundays. Georgia politicians, privately suspected to be passionate consumers of spirits, have historically been more than willing to pander to their constituents with such asinine regulations. They were fooling no one, of course. Hence the importance of the drive through, which allowed those downlow politicians and church folk to be as discreet as possible.

The only reason I photographed this place was this sign, which definitely caught my attention. It reads: “Clean & sober means I’ve had a bath and on my way to the liquor store”.

Tenant Farmhouse, Coffee County

I photographed this house in 2013, somewhere between Lax and Douglas. It’s an old single-pen tenant house that had a room added on at some point. The shake roof, peeking out beneath the tin, was what caught my attention. I’d be surprised if it’s still standing, but these places often surprise me.

Historic Farmstead, Broxton

Office or Commissary? I can’t decide. With my track record for guessing, it’s likely neither.

I made these photographs in 2018, under the blazing sun and unforgiving midday light of August, somewhere on the outskirts of Broxton. I didn’t like the way they turned out so they were forgotten. This happens all the time. I planned to return to the location but never made it back and imagine the structures are all gone now. I’m glad I got them. They were elements of a larger historic farm.

Hay/Stock Barn

The Queen Anne Folk Victorian farmhouse was my favorite structure on the property. Nature was decidedly reclaiming the place.

Farmhouse