Opened in 1914, this handsome Renaissance Revival structure first served as a post office but has been home for many years to the Tifton-Tift County Public Library. It was designed [or its design overseen by] Oscar Wenderoth, who served as the director of the Office of the Supervising Architect of the United States Treasury Department from 1912-1915. It might be best known for its iconic gargoyle flagpole holders.
Tifton Commercial Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
This commercial block, the most substantial remaining historic retail structure in Hahira, was built in the 1890s by R. Y. Scruggs. Numerous business, including a department store, Hahira Hardware and the City Cafe, have occupied the building over the years. It was also home to the Hahira Post Office at one time.
For a long time, I didn’t appreciate the simple aesthetics of the Mid-Century Modern and Modernist architecture that defined the post offices of the 1950s and 1960s, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve changed my mind. The longer I look at the simple lines, the more I like them. Many have been decommissioned to make way for larger post offices in growing communities and original examples are getting scarcer.
A few historic storefronts remain in Sharon, but I think the post office (white building with the flag) is the only one still open.
Though it is best remembered today as the Moore Furniture Company, this was originally a commercial duplex housing a pharmacy on the left side and the old Jasper Post Office on the right.
The iconic “Shingle House”, so named for its shingle siding, is the last remaining structure related to the Franklin-Creighton Gold Mine near Ball Ground. The mine had its origins circa 1832, when Mary G. Franklin obtained 40 acres along the Etowah River in the Gold Lottery of 1832. It became the Franklin, or Franklin-Creighton Mine circa 1883 and was said to be one of the most productive in the area, until1907, long after other area mines were long exhausted. The structure has reportedly served as a commissary, post office, and boarding house.
The community that grew up around the mine was known as Creighton, and the post office was operational from 1887-1918. The property is part of Gold & Grass Farms today.
Like neighboring Johnstonville, Goggins was one of the early settlements of what was then Monroe County, dating to 1834. It was originally spelled Goggans, for its namesake, South Carolina native John F. Goggans (b. 1802), and was variously referred to as Goggins, Goggans Station, and Goggansville over the years. Somehow, “Goggins” became the default spelling.
The agricultural community thrived and prospered throughout much of the 19th century, with the exception of the Civil War years, and was buttressed by the presence of the Central of Georgia railroad.
The historic store and post office building served the community until its closure in 1958. It retains its structural integrity, but due to the compromised roof will need stabilization to ensure its survival.
Johnstonville-Goggins Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
A 1994 article by Gordon Sargent in North Georgia Journal notes that as long as most people can remember, this northwest Georgia community has enjoyed a rich reputation for high crimes and high times. Such has been the reputation for the little state line community in northwest Georgia’s Polk County for decades, an image fostered by a long record of illicit activities such as moonshining, gambling, and even darker crimes like murder. And surprisingly, it seemed the stronger the criminal element became in the township, the less visible was law enforcement. Despite its infamy, Esom Hill, according to many residents, is a friendly community with caring neighbors and a bad name circulated by “outsiders”. Just like many situations, the truth lies somewhere in
between.
A post office was established in the community, which was associated with the Shiloh Baptist Church, in 1850. It’s only about a mile from the Alabama state line. The origins of the name are unclear. In its heyday, Easom Hill had five general stores, three churches, a school, and a saloon. Two gins and a sawmill were also present.
Joseph Proctor Screven Brewster, who built this store after his first mercantile burned in 1901, was one of the pioneers of Esom Hill. It was one of the first businesses in the county to have electric power, provided by an early Delco System generator. It also served as the post office, with Brewster serving as postmaster.
This served as the post office until 1982.
Sargent Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Vanishing Georgia: Photographs by Brian Brown 