Tag Archives: Georgia Vernacular Architecture

Historic Warehouses, Boston

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Near the depot in Boston is a small row of historic shotgun buildings and warehouses. These were related to agribusiness, seed storage, and livery stables. They don’t often get much attention, perhaps because they’re more utilitarian than they are aesthetically interesting, but they are as important to the development, perhaps more so, of our small rural towns as any bank or general store. The railroad was central to Boston’s development and these warehouses were directly tied to its success. In recent years, I believe they’ve been associated with the Boston Seed Company.

Boston Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

Shotgun Storefronts, Metcalfe

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It isn’t every day a whole little village gets restored, but that’s what concerned citizens did in Metcalfe, and these two shotgun buildings, and another not pictured, have been given a new lease on life. They likely date from 1900-1920. I’m not sure their specific history, but most such structures were used as stores, warehouses, and offices. These are important as survivors of the boom days of Metcalfe, when the railroad made the town hum. They have no doubt witnessed a lot of history in their time.

Metcalfe Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

Abandoned Storefront, Kite

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This little building in the middle of Kite looks like some kind of store, perhaps a repair shop, or even an office. I just liked the wisteria and the exposed boards. It’s looked like this as long as I’ve been driving through Kite.

UGA Football Barn Sign, Revisited

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The UGA Football Barn Sign, as this old store or warehouse building is now known throughout Dawg Nation and beyond, has become a serious landmark, has its own social media presence, and has even been featured on t-shirts. It was already well-known when I first photographed it in 2010, and was a sign for many travelers on the road to Athens that they were getting just a bit closer to the nirvana of a weekend between the hedges. In some of UGA’s leaner years, the sign changed regularly to reflect on recent shortcomings and was a welcome beacon of tough love, when most observers weren’t willing to put it out there. It never disappoints, and the current message is the best. I just know if this old building were to fall down, there would probably still be a UGA Football Barn Sign.

Central Hallway Farmhouse, Washington County

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This perfect example of Georgia’s most common house type is like countless others that later added a wing for use as a kitchen or bedroom. I’ve said many times that these houses weren’t fancy, but they were built better than most houses of today.

Central Hallway Farmhouse & Kitchen, Washington County

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This is an important vernacular house, but it’s difficult to determine its original layout. It may have originated as a dogtrot, but was later transformed into a central hallway form. The addition of another door at the front changed its layout at some point. Significantly, the detached kitchen remains.

Pleasant Springs United Methodist Church, Washington County

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Located on Hog Road, Pleasant Springs Methodist Church was established in 1874 and was last affiliated with the United Methodist Church. A large historic cemetery lies adjacent to the building, which interestingly has burials dating to 1864, ten years before the church is known to have been established. Pleasant Springs is built in the most common style to be found among 19th and early 20th century Georgia churches. It’s so common, in fact, that it can make dating of the structure a bit difficult, but I believe this to be circa 1890-1910. It also features two front doors, one for men and one for women, as was typical of the time.

Jones Chapel C. M. E. Church, Washington County

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Jones Chapel C. M. E. Church was likely a Freedmen congregation, formed in the years after the Civil War when Black Georgians were establishing their own churches away from the plantations where they had been enslaved. I have been unable to locate any history, and don’t know if it was originally associated with the Christian Methodist Episcopal movement or if it was an independent congregation. I confirmed it was a C. M. E. church through obituaries. There are a few members of a Jones family buried in its historic cemetery. Perhaps there are clues as to its origin in their stories. The church building as it stands today was likely built in the late 1800s or early 1900s.

The church survives in an idyllic setting today, beside a pond surrounded by a managed longleaf pine plantation, but the pond is a recent addition, dating to circa 2009-2010. Nonetheless, it’s not every day you see an old church with its own dock. The church isn’t part of the managed property, according to maps, but is likely an easement for the surviving family of its former members.

Beech Grove A. M. E. Church, Washington County

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Beech* Grove is an historic African-American church near the Irwins Crossroads community of Washington County. I haven’t located any congregational history, but it’s likely a Freedmen church. It was probably built in the early 1900s. A small adjacent cemetery indicates that the Cannida family were its most active members. The oldest member, using this method of identification, was Willie Lee Cannida (1865-1961). The church was active until at least 2011, as I found a church bulletin for a homecoming from that year.

This unusual outbuilding stands near the rear of the church, and was possibly an office or Sunday school room. I first thought it might be a privy, but I don’t think a privy would have windows. A tin-sided privy was actually located beyond this structure. It’s a neat little building, whatever its purpose.

*-Many maps and online sources spell the church “Beach” Grove, but the program I discovered inside used the “Beech” spelling, as in the tree, so I’m going with that.

Single-Pen Tenant House, Lee County

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I photographed this house in 2013 and have since lost the location. I would be surprised it it’s still standing. It’s included in my Lee County files, so I presume that’s where it was located. It’s a nice single-pen tenant house, which was expanded a couple of times throughout its history. Like many such uninsulated dwellings, it was later covered with tar paper to help with temperature control. If anyone knows its whereabouts or fate, please get in touch.