Colonial Revival Style Home, c. 1940, Augusta, GA

Magnolia Drive, photographer facing SE

Located in the Forest Hills neighborhood of Augusta, GA, this home stands out. In a neighborhood of beautifully maintained homes, this one is showing severe signs of neglect; from a couple of boarded windows, rotting wood and weathered paint on the trim, to the shrubbery that has grown out of control.

The Forest Hills neighborhood is located in the "Hill" area of Augusta, adjacent to Summerville, a place where the elite families used to retreat to during the summer months, escaping the oppressive heat, and summer time illnesses of the "Bottom" section of the city. In existence since the late 1700s, by the mid 1800s Summerville was also a destination used by wealthy northerners who would use it as an escape from the harsh winters. An independent city until it was annexed by Augusta in 1912, building in this area took off after the fire of 1916 that destroyed much of downtown Augusta.

Front Entrance, photographer facing east

Forest Hills sprang up during the 1920s and 30s and offered more humble homes, like the ones on Cardinal Drive, Wrightsboro Road, and Pine Needle Road, in addition to the larger, more grand homes located on  Comfort Road, Park Avenue, and Bransford Road.

On the opposite end of Forest Hills is the Forest Hills Golf Club which was established in 1926, in conjunction with the stunning Forest Hills-Ricker Hotel. You can read about it here. Unfortunately, it was razed in 1988.

In 1930, before the Augusta National or The Masters tournament existed, the Southeastern Open was held, with two rounds played at the Augusta Country Club, and two at Forest Hills. Played in late March, this was where Bobby Jones began his ultimate achievement of a grand slam of golf.

This house, though in rough shape, still stands; a sentinel waiting to be renovated back to its former glory.

Old Farmhouse, Turner Road, Forsyth County, GA

Photographer facing east

Located a stones throw from Costco, and the Market Place shopping complex, there's no telling how long this farmstead will remain in its pastoral state. Located on Turner Road, sandwiched between Lake Lanier to the east, and the City of Cumming to the west, this home can be seen to the east from the new four-lane Market Place Boulevard.

As one of the fastest growing counties in the country, Forsyth's population has exploded from 44,000 in 1990 to the staggering 2013 estimate of 195,000 residents. The majority of this growth has been from high-income professionals migrating north from Atlanta. Forbes listed the county as the 13th wealthiest county in the nation. The transformation of the once quiet countryside to McMansion developments has surely swallowed up scores of places like this small farm, one that is unlikely to be around much longer.   

Rear, photographer facing SW

There are some interesting features that I discovered later in the photo of the rear of the house. The stacked rock base below the windows is a mystery to me. It looks like the base for a chimney, but it doesn't make sense for one to be in that location.

There are what appears to be two windows up high, but they are covered with hinged, wooden inserts. There is a two-wheeled pushcart, a Christmas tree stand, and lastly, one of the windowpanes has been replaced by a cardboard Little Caesar's Hot-and-Ready pizza box. It is also easy to spot the more recent addition to the left.

Outbuildings behind the house, photographer facing east

Behind the house is a taller than normal small barn or shed, the function of which I am unsure. An old outhouse lurks in the background.

Be sure to look around, even near new commercial development, and you might be able to step back in time.