This little six-sided police station stands on the northwest corner of the Taylor County Courthouse grounds, in the middle of Butler. It was likely built soon after the courthouse, in the late 1930s or the early 1940s. Stations like this one were once somewhat common but are rarely seen today, especially on courthouse lawns. In fact, this is the only one I know of in Georgia associated with a courthouse. One can presume that it was the only police station in town, since most law enforcement was handled by sheriffs and deputies in the past. When traveling in the Midwest, I saw a similar station on the grounds of one courthouse that was installed just for use in one trial, of a Chicago organized crime figure. I’m sure that wasn’t the case in Butler, however.
Even though hard economic times were already foreshadowing the Great Depression in Southwest Georgia, Brinson was still a thriving farm community in the early 1920s, when this typical Colonial Revival schoolhouse was built. It has been identified as the Brinson Consolidated School, and was probably an elementary school. Consolidation was not a concept static to just one decade, and counties often saw the value and thrift of consolidating small rural schools into a central location.
According to a 1998 Georgia Historic Preservation Division resource survey, the school was once a much larger H-form structure and apparently this wing was all that survived a fire [date undocumented]. The form also noted that Gordon Bower was the superintendent of Decatur County schools at the time. In 1969, the Brinson school was sold to a group of parents for the establishment of a private school and was home for many years to Oaks Academy.
According to a “Heritage Tour of Historic Homes” brochure: This Victorian-era home was built by James Ralph Graves. Mr. Graves was a Bainbridge alderman and deacon of First Presbyterian Church. The Bainbridge Democrat reported on March 6, 1884, that “James R. Graves is improving his new lot preparatory to building a house.” The house originally sat on four acres, contained 3,800 square feet, and had a detached kitchen. It cost $1500 and took five years to build.
The home’s Queen Anne and Carpenter Gothic elements blend nicely to make one of the most interesting Victorians in Bainbridge. It was for sale when I photographed and first published it in 2010. I hope it found a new owner and that it retains its wonderful appearance.
Bainbridge Residential Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Local lumber baron John Ernest Donalson (1846-1920), for whom nearby Donalsonville, Georgia, was named, built this house in 1898. In addition to his vast holdings with the Donalson Lumber Company, he was a Confederate veteran, well-known Georgia entrepreneur, lawyer, and judge. Bainbridge was the center of his business operations.
The Queen Anne home, possibly a George Barber design, originally featured Tiffany stained-glass windows, but they were removed by a later owner and sold. The house is also said to have been the first in Bainbridge to feature wire window screens, quite an innovation at the time.
Bainbridge Residential Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
I haven’t been able to locate much information about this congregation, but it’s certainly among the oldest in Bainbridge. Considering the early establishment date of the town (1824), there was a probably a Baptist presence in that decade. The earliest known history at this time suggests that local congregants first met in the old “Log House” of the Methodists and built their first permanent home in 1852. It was sold in 1892 and a larger sanctuary was built on the same site. Considering that it was moved, it was likely a small frame structure, typical of the time. Construction on the present structure began in 1916 but was not completed until 1920, due to delays brought on by World War I. Wayne Carter writes that James E. Green was the architect. Green practiced in Birmingham, and designed several churches there.
Bainbridge Residential Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Note: This updates and replaces a post originally published on 8 September 2010.
Abraham Ehrlich, born in Gehause, Germany in 1841, was one of the first Jewish settlers in Bainbridge, moving to the community from Valdosta in 1869. A peddler by trade, he served in the Georgia infantry in the Civil War, and was wounded at Chickamauga. His brothers, Henry and Lewis, migrated from Germany after the war. Abraham and Henry established a dry goods business in Bainbridge and Lewis had a butcher shop. Abraham died from an infection in the wound he received at Chickamauga. Lewis and Henry became the leaders of the local Jewish community, which soon included the Kwilecki and Nussbaum families.
The Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities notes that by 1878, an estimated 53 Jews lived in Bainbridge. Most of the male breadwinners worked in retail trade. This growing number of Jews began to meet together. In 1900, Rosalie Kwilecki began a Sunday School to teach the tenets of Judaism to her community, and remained its leader for over 50 years. The Reform congregation was established in 1902 and met in members’ homes until the dedication of this synagogue in 1916. The Jewish community in Bainbridge peaked in 1927 with over 220 members. By 1937, the American Jewish Year Book counted just 42 Jews in Bainbridge, largely due to the effects of the Great Depression.
Beth El’s membership continued to dwindle over the decades but remained an active small community. In 2018, the decision was made to dissolve the congregation and sell the synagogue. It’s presently a short-term rental property.
Bainbridge Residential Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
This building, and another one separated by an empty lot, are the oldest remaining commercial storefronts in Climax. Other than the removal of a shed roof on the front of the building and the addition of a restroom in the rear, it’s virtually unchanged from its original appearance.
Ira Albert Allen (1869-1924) and Walter Samuel Allen (1873-1931) established the Allen Mercantile Company in 1903 and operated the business until they went bankrupt in 1916. Typical of merchants of the day, the Allen Mercantile Company sold groceries, hardware, dry goods, and farm supplies, probably even caskets. The store was also home to the Climax post office from 1905 until the 1930s .The store also housed the Climax post office from 1905 until the 1930s. John P. Herring bought the store from the bank after the Allen brothers went bankrupt. Ira’s daughter, Inez Allen, reopened the store in the 1930s and operated it until the 1960s.
Bernice Doyle writes: This store was known as Miss Inez’ s Mercantile Store. My mother worked for her for many years. It is sad to see it is falling in. Climax looks nothing like it did when I was growing up there. Jean Ouzts notes: I am the Climax news paper correspondent for the Bainbridge Post Searchlight…There were several other stores on Main Street before being torn down for the building of Parker Park.Grover’s store, which later becameGowan’s, and then B&B or Bishop and Betts.
National Register of Historic Places
Note: This replaces and updates a post originally published on 26 October 2009. It was my very first post from Decatur County.
Georgia is famous for its red dirt roads, and some of the reddest are to be found in counties along the Fall Line. Of course, their beauty hides the danger of traveling upon them after heavy rains. Those who have traveled them in these conditions will understand what I’m talking about. I’m reminded of a time in my early 20s when a bunch of buddies and me were out riding dirt roads and got stuck in the middle of a downpour, miles from town. The first truck that tried to pull us out of the ditch got stuck, and then a tow truck got stuck. The rollback that finally freed us had to be chained to a pine tree to finish the job.
This road, near Bay Springs Methodist Church, looks a lot different since I made this photo in 2018. The pine trees have been cut out. But Deer Hunter still seems an appropriate name.
Built as a gabled-ell cottage between 1883 and 1888, this house was greatly enlarged and remodeled to its present appearance in the 1920’s for Mrs. E. C. Kelly, Sr. It’s located near the other Kelly House, also a local landmark, and the old Monticello High School. I think Mrs. Kelly was going for a Neoclassical-inspired Colonial Revival look. The 6 over 6 dormer windows are an unusual feature, as is the extra-wide transom.
