Set among vast open fields, this house is a landmark of of Clay County. Also known as the Hammock-Gay House, it once had a store next door.
Will Hammock House, Circa 1874, Clay County
Leave a reply
Tag Archives: Georgia Vernacular Architecture
Ebenezer A. M. E. Church & Cemetery, Clay County
I believe this congregation dates to the early 20th century. They discontinued services in 2015.
Ebenezer Cemetery
The historic cemetery at Ebenezer is typical of small rural congregations. A mix of vernacular and commercial stones are present. The disproportionate number of veterans buried here is notable, proof that this isolated community believed in service, even in an era when its members did not have equal rights. I think it speaks volumes to their character.
I’m sharing a few random examples in no particular order.
Aunt Honey & Jesus Had a Good Thing Going- According to her obituary, Aunt Honey was a beloved member of Ebenezer from her youth until the church disbanded.
General Stores, Early County
These extraordinary general store and/or commissary structures located north of Blakely are great examples of early 20th century retail architecture in the rural context. [There is a third structure I was unable to photograph due to vegetation]. I wonder if there may have been a named community here at one time, but I can’t locate any mention of it in the limited sources I’ve consulted.
I hope to learn more. Thanks to Stephany Kurth for pointing me in their direction.
Central Hallway Farmhouse, Early County
This is a common house type, perhaps the most common in rural Georgia. The red clay was really what got my attention, though.
Hip Roof Tenant Farmhouse, Early County
This is one of my favorite styles of tenant housing, and it’s quite rare these days. These small hip roof cottages just have more aesthetic appeal than the average tenant house and should be considered a critically endangered resource.
Lewis Store, Old Damascus
This is the last of the archival images I’m sharing for now. I was unsure if this was in Damascus, or its neighbor Old Damascus*, so I never got around to publishing it. It’s an edit of a shot I made in 2008. With its extended front gable, it’s a great example of the “gas and grocery” architecture of the 1920s and 1930s.
Terri writes: Was raised in Old Damascus or as we called it Old Town. I can remember buying sodas and candy from Mr Lloyd at his store. He and his wife were very kind people…His house was across from the store. [I locate an Emory Lloyd Lewis, Sr. (1883-1976) at nearby Keaton Cemetery. He is likely the gentleman to whom Terri refers. His son, Emory Lloyd Lewis, Jr. (1926-1998), may have operated the store, as well.]
*- Old Damascus is on the map, but that presence is more a nod to history these days; it’s not incorporated and likely never was. My guess is that it’s the first area of settlement of what eventually became Damascus.
Double-Pen House & Shotgun Store, Damascus
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.
Centerville United Methodist Church, 1898, Early County
The community of Centerville, in Early County, is one of at least six places bearing that name in Georgia. The only one to be incorporated is located near Warner Robins, in Houston County.
From an historic marker placed by the church and the Historic Chattahoochee Commission in 1998: Ben Johnson and his wife, “Miss Ellie,” attended the DuBose Methodist Church located six miles away until they were caught in a rainstorm that frightened their horse. In an attempt to get a church nearer home, Ben Johnson and Dick Mock rode for several days before finding someone to donate land for the church. Most of the land in the area was mortgaged because of the Civil War but Elias Harper deeded four acres to church trustees, Ben Johnson, Sam Roe Johnson and John King to be used for a church and a cemetery. “Miss Ellie” named it Centerville because it was in the middle of the community.
The Centerville Methodist Church was organized in 1891, and the people of the community erected the first church building eight miles south of Blakely on the Three Notch Road. It was a pine log structure with posts in the middle section for support and two single doors for entering the church. The original floor joists and ceiling trusses, which were made of whole pine logs, are still in place. A wood stove was placed in the middle of the room to warm the congregation. The church was dedicated on August 7, 1898, with Rev. C.C. Lowe serving as its first pastor. In 1976, the social hall was added and synthetic siding installed.
Board-and-Batten Farmhouse, Early County
This is located on a hunting club and therefore not accessible. It’s a nice old vernacular house, though.
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.