This is another older photo, dating to 2012, so I’m not sure if either structure is still around. The house is a double-pen type and the shotgun store to the right may have association.
Double-Pen House & Shotgun Store, Damascus
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Tag Archives: Georgia Shotgun Stores & Offices
Lucile, Georgia
Lucile is a tiny village located along the Miller/Early County line. It only had a post office for four years, from 1899-1903, and was a typical crossroads community, centered on agriculture. Originally known as Racketville, it was changed to Lucile in honor of postmaster Charles S. Middleton’s daughter. This historic store and filling station likely dates to the 1920s or 1930s, with some modifications over time.
George Wilkerson writes…I grew up in Lucille community and still live here today…Back in the mid 1950s [this was] a country grocery store ran by Mr. Bruce Bachelor and later by the Johnson family. Miss Lucille Johnson had a bait shop in the back of it for a few years.
Shotgun Store, 1910s, Cusseta
I photographed this shotgun-style general store in 2009. As of 2022, I believe it is still standing. A resource survey dates it to circa 1914.
Moore Commissary, Circa 1906, Junction City
I believe this to be Charlie Moore’s commissary, which served employees in his milling and coffin building operations. William H. Davidson notes two stores in Junction City in his history of Talbot County.
J. Leonard Morgan’s general store wasn’t open until 1929, and this construction looks earlier than 1929 to me. I think this is what he identified as Marvin J. Hester’s general store, “located in Charlie Moore’s old commissary building“.
That would likely place this structure’s date of construction to circa 1906. It was a condition of Moore’s purchase of the Perkins properties [present day Junction City vicinity] that all structures of that enterprise be removed by 1 September 1906, so Moore likely built this commissary when he established the town.
Shotgun Store, Cadley
This photograph dates to 2013. I imagine the store was probably built in the early 1900s and it is of the shotgun form, among the most common designs for rural Georgia stores in the early 20th century.
Shotgun Store, Philomath
Even though it has newer front doors, this structure fits the “shotgun” profile associated with many stores and commissaries in late-19th- and early-20th-century Georgia. The style was also commonly used for warehouses. Until I learn more, I’m identifying it as a store.
Central Avenue, Demorest
The building at left was constructed as the Odd Fellows Hall in 1901 and the shotgun store on the right, the only remaining wood-framed commercial building in Demorest, was built in 1893.
Demorest Commercial Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Shotgun Store, Circa 1900, Graysville
This is a great example of a “shotgun” store, the most common vernacular store form of 19th and early-20th-century Georgia. It was also a common form for small town offices and warehouses, but a resource survey identifies this as a general store, circa 1900. It’s been well-maintained.
Stancil’s Store, 1912 & 1952, Cherokee County
The little shotgun store at the corner of Yellow Creek and Conns Creek Road is a landmark in Cherokee County. Bill Ringle notes on his blog, Remnants of Southern Architecture: The old store was opened in 1912 by William and Mary Ann (Holcomb) Stancil. On February 24, 1915, their tenth child of eleven was born and named Broughton. A fixture of the store, Broughton was a World War II veteran having served in the U.S. Army fighting in the Pacific against the Japanese in British New Guinea. During his time there, he was cited for courageous conduct in action. Mr. Stancil passed away November 30, 2011, just shy of the 100 year anniversary of the store.
He also identifies the store across the road: The demands of the small store became so great that they had to build a larger store on the eastern side of the road in 1952. The rural location…allowed it to thrive during the “old days”. However, the combination of the rise of the automobile, and the era of the large big-box stores, forced the family to close the doors in 2012.
General Store, Sumter County
This shotgun store is located at the crossroads of the Friendship Community in northwestern Sumter County. There are several communities bearing the name “Friendship” throughout Georgia and none is incorporated, to my knowledge.