This community was first known as Frankville but was renamed Berner in 1896, for Col. Robert Lee Berner (1854-1922) of Forsyth. Berner served in the Spanish-American War, practiced law, was president of the Georgia senate, ran unsuccessfully for governor, and was instrumental in the construction of Macon’s Terminal Station.
It’s hard to imagine considering the isolation of this place today, but the post office remained in operation until 1957. Now, it appears to be a true ghost town.
At the shady intersection that is Cabaniss, this old shotgun store stands as a monument of the community’s past. The area was settled as Gullettsville by 1834, when a post office by that name opened. It closed in 1849. It was renamed for Judge Elbridge Gerry Cabaniss* thereafter and a post office for the newly named village was open between 1872-1904. There is a reference to a Castleberry’s Store in historical writings about Cabaniss, but I don’t know if this is it, or if it even survives.
*- I believe this to be Elbridge Gerry Cabaniss (1802-1872) but it could be his son, Elbridge Gerry Cabaniss [same name, not “Jr.”] (1845-1924).
This store, south of Blount, was such a landmark in mid-century Monroe County that the road its located on took its name. At one time, it was covered in false brick siding [also, incorrectly, known as tar paper]. With its bright pink paint, it remains a favorite in Monroe County.
The area around Blount was settled at least by the mid-19th century; a post office opened in 1887 and remained open until 1906. The community was named for U. S. Representative James Henderson Blount (1837-1903). Though his opposition to imperialism and the annexation of Hawaii was a noble cause, he was also a member of the Redeemers, a coalition of Southern congressman who were dedicated to White supremacy during Reconstruction.
This general store is one of two that survive in the crossroads community of Blount. Like its neighbor down the road, it dates to the 1920s and has been altered. An auto bay that once extended from the facade has been enclosed. It is well-maintained. The Freeman Brothers Store was well-known in Blount in 1900. I don’t know if either one I documented was associated with their enterprise.
When documented by a state architectural survey in 2001, this structure was in good condition. At that time, it still featured a covered auto bay on the facade that was added for gasoline sales in the 1940s.
Culloden, the oldest settlement in this area of Georgia, was once a bustling town, where the railroad brought in supplies from Atlanta and other larger cities, and where the economy was mostly centered around cotton until the 1920s. Agriculture remains a large employer to this day.
It’s similar to myriad other small towns across the state in the fact that after the waning of cotton’s prominence, people left in search of non-agricultural jobs, and the buildings that made up the commercial center were eventually abandoned. Most were general stores or offices.
One thing different about Culloden, though, is the fact that they decided to construct a building in the old style in 2005 that houses the city hall, library and emergency services. It’s a nice nod to local history and incorporates old bricks, perhaps recycled from an earlier structure near this site.
The building on the right was the old Bank of Culloden, erected in 1897.
Culloden Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
I’ve nearly completed my edits of counties north of the Fall Line, and am exploring my extensive South Georgia files now. This house stands out in my mind from many travels in Pierce County. The photo dates to 2017, so it may be gone by now. I believe it was at Mershon.
Scott Thompson writes: This was actually a store. The owners lived in the back of this building. There was a very similar building adjacent to this one that was also a little store. It was torn down a few years ago.
I used to pass by this building often when I was driving between Surrency and New Lacy and always presumed it was a general store. I imagine it also sold gasoline. It’s in the “middle of nowhere” at the intersection of Georgia Highways 203 & 15.
Larry Dixon writes: This gas/grocery store, with a vehicle repair garage in the rear, was owned and operated by Bill & Willie Pierce. It was in operation in the 50s and 60s. They lived in a separate home, on the property just behind the store. The house has been refreshed, and has tenants still residing there. The property is still owned by the Pierce families daughter-in-law.
A lot of people pass by places like this and don’t realize their significance. Country stores were necessary not only for household needs but as community centers in rural locations. One might wonder today how these places ever survived, so far out in the country, but they often thrived.
This old general store is located west of Roberta. It’s still serving the community, albeit in a different way, as the Greenway Farms Market store.
When the Atlanta & Florida Railway bypassed Knoxville in 1888, opting to build a depot about a mile away, the settlement of Roberta began. It was originally known as New Knoxville, after the county seat. When Hiram David McCrary (1847-1912) and James Mathews gave the right of way for the railroad, McCrary, who was also an active entrepreneur, was allowed to choose a name for it. He chose Roberta, in honor of his daughter*. *-Mattie Roberta McCrary Champion (1881-1977)
The old Bankston Store is a great example of restoration. It’s located adjacent to the bank/post office building.
The corner entrance was a popular commercial style in the early 20th century.
I made these photos a few years ago, so some of these business have been repainted. For a small town, Roberta does a good job of maintaining its historic commercial structures and still uses them all, as best I can see. I don’t encounter that in many places.
Roberta Historic District, National Register of Historic Places