The old Muscogee County Jail stands in contrast to the newer facility, built in 2002.
The old Muscogee County Jail, built in by the Public Works Administration in 1939 to alleviate overcrowding and poor conditions at the Columbus Stockade (circa 1870) was in use until 2002. It was replaced by the modern facility in the background and there are already calls to replace the new jail.
The entrance to the old jail is typical of the Art Deco architecture of the New Deal.
There are no plans to restore the facility and it will likely be demolished in the future.
Before desegregation in the 1950s and 1960s, Black citizens of the Jim Crow South were resigned to sitting in the balconies of public theatres, if they were allowed to attend them at all. In response to this, Black entrepreneurs in larger towns built their own theatres and public event spaces to provide an alternative for their communities. Waycross had at least two such theatres.
The first, known as the Rainbow Theatre, opened in 1939 and was described by an industry journal as a “colored house, seating 400”. I have been unable to determine where it was located. Perhaps it was a forerunner to the Carver. If anyone knows more, please share.
The second Black movie house, the Carver, was located on Oak Street, and opened in 1946. It remained in business until the early 1970s. It was primarily a movie house, but may have also hosted occasional live performances. A rare example of Streamline Moderne Art Deco architecture, it has been empty for years, but appears to be in good condition overall. It would certainly be an interesting candidate for restoration and adaptive re-use.
The Ritz Theatre originally opened as the Grand Theatre in 1913. It was initially a vaudeville and live performance space but was screening silent movies by 1914. In 1917, it was renamed the Orpheum Theatre. By 1935, it was acquired by a Paramount Pictures subsidiary and a significant renovation and redesign was completed. It’s name was changed to the Ritz. The fine Art Deco work is credited to prominent Jacksonville architect Roy A. Benjamin, one of the architects of the iconic Florida Theatre. The Ritz showed its last regular run movies in 1977, with some features still playing until 1984. It became the home of the Waycross Area Community Theatre in 1986 and still serves that purpose today.
Downtown Waycross Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
I made this photograph in 2017 and don’t recall exactly where it was located. I know it was either on Georgia Highway 36 or 74, on the east side of Thomaston. The Art Deco building might be the work of the WPA or another New Deal agency, which would date it to the late 1930s or early 1940s, but this is just a guess. This style of architecture, considered modern and low-maintenance, was often used with governmental buildings. It’s possible that it served another purpose, but the font of the signage looks pretty authentic to the Art Deco style. I believe the Upson County Public Works department is now located elsewhere.
Danny Burks notes that this once served as a prison work camp.
The building housing the Rose Theater was built in 1904 and originally housed a grocery store and warehouse. It was remodeled for use as a theater and given its Art Deco appearance in the 1940s. It closed in the late 1950s and sat empty for many years. In the 1980s, it was known as the Topless Bar, as it had lost its roof during the years it was not in use. In 1999, owners Dr. & Mrs. William Cummings donated to the local theater group, the Backlot Players, and renovations were completed in 2007. It is once again a focal point of downtown Forsyth and a great example of community involvement in the preservation of historic spaces.
Forsyth Commercial Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
The Bradley opened in 1940 and showed its last first-run feature in 1977. It reopened for a time as a live entertainment venue but I ‘m not sure of its present status.
This local landmark dates to at least the 1940s, and perhaps earlier. And, they still have a soda fountain and hand-dipped ice cream. The Art Deco storefront, once commonly seen on pharmacies and jewelry stores, is largely intact.
Elberton Commercial Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
In its heyday, the F. W. Woolworth Company was one of the nation’s leading retail store chains. The location of the Augusta store was one of the busiest parts of the city when built in 1939. It closed in 1991 and has been empty since.
In 1960, its lunch counter was the site of a sit-in, protesting segregation, by a group of students from Augusta’s Paine College, a historically Black institution.
Broad Street Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
This Art Deco movie house was built in 1937; the building may date to 1920 with an earlier use and appearance. It has recently been restored and is now known as the Habersham Community Theater.
