This was originally a saddlebag house, as the two front doors and remnant central chimney would suggest, but at some point a wing, or ell, was added.
Gabled-Ell Cottage, Lumber City
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Tag Archives: Georgia Vernacular Architecture
Jackson House Outbuilding, Jacksonville
I just discovered this photograph, made in 2009, of an unidentified structure in Jacksonville. Because of its proximity to the Thomas Hardy Jackson house, visible in the background, I’m identifying it as a dependency of that property until I learn otherwise. Sadly, both structures are long gone, replaced by a Dollar General. It’s common to find barns and sheds alongside old houses, as space was at a premium, and these dependencies are usually easy to identify. I’m a bit stumped by this one, however. It’s very small and, unusually, has a window. Barns don’t generally have windows. I wonder if it could have been unrelated to the house and perhaps served some other purpose. It has a similar appearance to precinct houses I’ve documented in the past, but this example seems a bit small for that. If anyone from Jacksonville knows, please share.
Folk Victorian Cottage, Lumber City
This Folk Victorian cottage was built in a T-form, with a projecting wing at the front. It’s an excellent example of this “dressed-up” house style, likely built between 1890-1910. The last time I checked, it was still standing. Hopefully, someone cares about it and it will be restored. It’s certainly worthy of being someone’s home again.
Single-Pen Tenant Farmhouse, Ben Hill County
This house has always beckoned me to stop and make photographs, and I made these in 2011. It’s a classic single-pen tenant house, complete with “tar paper” to keep cold out of the cracks in winter. The last time I checked, it was still standing, albeit in worse condition. I’ve often encountered a wake of buzzards perched on the roof, and once even scared a bunch from inside the house. In my notes, I call it the Buzzard House.
Smoke House Grill, Pineview
Fewer than 500 people live in the little town of Pineview, on the Wilcox-Pulaski County line, so there aren’t many places to eat. When I made this photograph a few years ago, the trailer beside this store was the only place selling food, and was going by the name “Smoke House Grill”. The store was the M & M Convenient Store, and appears to have been a service station and garage before that. I think they built a Dollar General across the road after they tore down the most important landmark building in town, the old Clements Drugstore.
Shell’s Bonded Warehouse No. 2, Pitts
Shell’s Bonded Warehouse is one of at least two such facilities in Pitts, which isn’t surprising considering the importance of farming in the area. I’m fascinated by these old buildings; they’re not architecturally interesting, I suppose, but they represent the lifeblood of many small towns whose economies were and are based on agriculture. The old ones are getting harder to find, but many are still in use. I wouldn’t be surprised if this one is still busy in season.
Satilla United Methodist Church, Wayne County
This historic church is located in the Empire community, west of Jesup. It’s of a style typical among churches in rural Georgia for nearly 200 years. The pressed tin roof is still protecting it, if taking on a bit of rust. The building looks stable overall. My best guess as to a date would tend toward the early 1910s-1920s.
Morgan Bailey, whose father was a pastor at Satilla in the 1970s, shared the following on Facebook: “From my mother–Only 7 members when we got there (1971?) and 9 when we left. All of the members were quite old, but loved their church. They yearned to have a dinner on the ground, but the church had no bathroom. We solved that problem by hiring someone to build an outhouse. Happy group of people to get to have dinner on the ground. There was an old hand pump for water. They heated the church with fire wood. When one of the sister churches offered to give them an oil/kerosene heater, the old gentleman who always chopped the firewood said. “If you take that heater, you’ll take my job away from me”. So we turned the offer down. On Sundays he would fire up that old wood stove and the wasps would start swarming. Great group of people at that little church!“
I hope it can survive. It does seem to be watched over by neighbors and was well built, probably by men of the church.
Odessa Church of God, Wayne County
The Odessa Church of God is perhaps the last surviving landmark of the Odessa community, east of Jesup. Odessa was on the railroad line that ran to Brunswick/Darien and the settlement must have had ties to the timber and turpentine industries. It had a post office from 1890-1920. The church, obviously long abandoned, is located in the woods beside the Odessa Cemetery. I haven’t been able to establish a connection between the church and the cemetery, but there must be. The earliest burial is circa 1902. The Drawdy family is well-represented in the area. Other than the cemetery and the church, I haven’t been able to find anything else related to the history of Odessa. Thanks to Stephany Kurth for identifying the church via Instagram.
Empowerment Temple Church of God by Faith, Ocilla
The Church of God by Faith is described as “a Methodist denomination aligned with the Holiness movement”. It was founded by John “Daddy” Bright in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1914, and has over 200 congregations today. Along with the A.M.E., C.M.E., Missionary Baptists, and Church of God in Christ, it’s one of the leading Black denominations in Georgia.
Shotgun House, Irwin County
This photo was made in 2010 and like many I’ve shared today, the house is probably gone by now. It’s a classic example of a shotgun house.