Waters Home, c. 1916, Dawson County, GA

Old Henry Grady Road, photographer facing NW

This old farmhouse sits on the west side of Old Henry Grady Road in the northern area of Dawson County, GA. Built in 1916, nearly 100 years ago, the area is still very rural, bordered by large-acre tracts of land to the west and the south. The area located between Hwy 136 and Hwy 183 contains some of the most bucolic land in the county.

The further north you travel, the more the Blue Ridge spine seems to rise out of the landscape, with openings in the trees revealing great views of the mountains. Rolling pastures, interspersed with wooded tracts make this section of Dawson County desirable for those seeking a quiet spot to call home. However, you won't see many "for sale" signs in this area. A suitable place for old homes like this one to pass the years, relatively unchanged. Hopefully most of metro-Atlanta's growth moving in a northerly direction will be tied to the GA 400 corridor, leaving places like this as it is for many years to come.

Old Farmhouse, C. 1910, Dawson County, GA

Etowah River Road, photographer facing NW

Sitting on a steady rise across the road from the lowland agricultural fields and flood plain of the Etowah River, this old home has stood the test of time for over 100 years. Based on the building materials stored on the front porch, it appears that the current owner is taking some care to make sure the structure stands a while longer.  A barn in an earlier post sits just southwest of this property. I wonder if in the early 1900s that the barn and this old home were part of the same farm.

Sherrill House, c. 1907, Forsyth County, GA

Old Federal Road, photographer facing SE

 Located in northwestern Forsyth County, Georgia, the Sherrill House is a great example of what an active  historical society can accomplish with regard to preservation. As part of the northern Metro Atlanta area, Forsyth County is one of the fastest growing counties in the country. The nature of development is to cram as much housing as is possible, usually building homes on half-acre lots. Most often than not this is done without regard to older structures, as it doesn't always make economical sense for a developer to consider pouring money into an old home.

Renovation began in 2013

Occupied by the family until the late 70s or early 80s, the home became rental property until the mid 90s. Since that time, the home sat vacant for about twenty years. As part of 225 acres that the county purchased in 2009 to become Eagle's Beak Park, the house will be renovated and turned into the Native American and Pioneer Heritage Center. 

Photographer facing west

Some historians believe that the property was the site of a Cherokee Indian settlement in the 1700s, and that the tavern where Cherokee leader James Vann was killed was also located on what is now part of the park. The tavern was relocated to the Cumming Fairgrounds as part of the Indian Village display.

A success story in the making, the Forsyth County Historical Society can still use volunteers for work sessions at the site, or monetary donations to go towards the renovation. Please see the following links for more information about this project.

Forsyth News Article

Sherrill House/Hightower/Frogtown Facebook Page

Stancil's Store, 1912-2012, Cherokee County, GA

Original store 1912-1952, photographer facing west

The remnants of Stancil's Store are located at 5240 Yellow Creek Road in Cherokee County, Georgia. 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.

Store built in 1952, photographer facing east

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 of the store 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.

There is a nice, short, three-minute video on the store that was shot before it became a remnant. It gives you a great feel for the interior of the store, and some of the regulars, but centers around Broughton Stancil. You can view it here "Stancil's Store" by Kos Films

A good article on the store featured in the October, 2011 edition of Smoke Signals newspaper can be accessed by the following link:

Smoke Signals Article

Sadly, as Mr. Stancil states in the video"It's got to where there's not much place for a country store any more."

Appalachian Farmhouse, Old Hwy 76, Fannin County, GA

Richards Branch Road & Old Hwy 76, photographer facing SW

This house is located at the intersection of Old Hwy 76 and Richards Branch Road in eastern Fannin County, GA. It can be seen looking south from Hwy 515 as Old Hwy 76 at this point is only 75'-100' to the south.  The front yard was littered with walnuts from last falls crop,  plenty of briars, and a band of daffodils running along the top of the embankment that leads down to Old Hwy 76.

A particularly noisy spot right now with the four-lane highway, I often wonder how quiet it was in these mountain spots before all of the traffic.

Large Walnut Tree and Daffodils, photographer facing south.

Wallace Farmhouse, c. 1900, Dawson County, GA

Photographer facing NE from Kilough Church Road

Photographer facing SE from Kilough Church Road

I was directed to this house by a resident of the area who has lived nearby since the mid 80s, and informed me that the home has not been lived in since before that time. It is a great example of an old tar-paper farmhouse. The tar paper's function is primarily aesthetic in that it's the cheapest way to make a board-sided home look like a brick house. The owner of the property obviously treats the house, and other outbuildings with tender loving care, as they appeared to be in good condition for being over 100 years old, with at least the last thirty years uninhabited.

Why I Do This:

The photos above were taken January 21, 2014. During the night of February 16, 2014, the area was hit with an ice storm which caused extensive damage to many of the local trees. The results were devastating for this farmhouse as a huge tree could not withstand the weight of the ice, and toppled onto the roof. The results can be seen below from photographs taken today March 9, 2014.

February ice storm damage.

Remains of the tree.

Whether it's from ice, thunderstorm, fire, or structural failure, these old homes are under constant threat from the elements and they will not last forever unless a lot of time and money is spent on their upkeep. I'm just glad that I took the photos back in January so that the home was documented prior to what appears to be damage so extensive that I can't imagine the home will ever be repaired. When they're gone, for whatever reason, they're gone. 

Hunter-England House, c. 1832 Union County, GA

Photographer facing NE from Hwy 129

These photos were taken on January 1, 2006. The home was built c. 1832 by John Hunter who migrated into  North Georgia from Buncombe County, NC after the Cherokee land lottery. It is believed to be the oldest dwelling in Union County, GA. It was constructed from poplar logs, with a stone pillar foundation. It was last used as a residence during the 1950s.

Photographer facing east from Hwy 129

The bad news is that the home no longer stands at its original location. The good news is that it is being dismantled piece by piece and re-built at a location less than five miles from the original. A 2008 posting on the storiesandevents.com website identified Clyde Smith of Cartersville, GA as being in charge of the project. As of the date of this post, I cannot  find any additional information about the completion of the relocation, though it's been seven years since the project began. Once I find the answer to this, an update will be posted.