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.