Etowah River Farmhouse, c. 1920, Dawson County, GA

Intersection of Etowah River Road and New Bethel Church Road, photographer facing SE

As you travel in a northeasterly direction away from Hwy 53 on Etowah River Road, you will notice the green, expansive flood plain of the Etowah River, the largest opening of which is connected to this home. It sits on a knoll that rises to the north, away from the river. The home sits on a little over 193 acres, including 6,000+ feet of river frontage. As you enter the sweeping curve where New Bethel Church Road comes in from the north, this home's beauty grabs your attention as it is easily seen from on the right.

At first I couldn't believe that the home's windows were boarded, because it appears to be in pretty good shape, as compared to a lot of the other homes featured on this blog; roof intact, paint still white, chimneys not crumbling, no visible collapse or rot. It is beginning to be overtaken by vines, shrubs, and small trees, but nothing that couldn't be cleared out in a weekend.

Photographer facing SW from Etowah River Road

The tax assessor's website lists the construction date of this home as 1920. It has a T shape with an extension off the bottom of the T, which can be seen in the second photo; possibly a later kitchen addition. Three brick chimneys grace all of the endpoints on the T.

You'll have to forgive my lack of proper architectural terminology. It's something I'm learning more about as I research these old homes.

An internet search revealed that one possible reason for the home sitting vacant is the proposal for the expansion of an existing 12-acre reservoir to a 138-acre reservoir that is planned nearby.  The outflow of the dam would be into Russell Creek which is the southwestern border of this property. Perhaps the owner is waiting to see the final plans of the lake and how it will impact the property. Until then this beautiful, nearly one hundred year old gem will continue to look lonely.

Shingle House, c. 1880, Cherokee County, GA

Yellow Creek Road, photographer facing SE

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photographer facing NE

  It can be said that the term "house" is used rather loosely in this case. Aptly named due to the oak shingle siding, this structure has been used as a commissary, an administrative office, a post office, the second floor used as a hotel, and a boarding house. It also contained a small stamp mill used in the extraction of gold where local residents could participate in cashing in on one of the area's natural resources.

The building sits on the site of, and is the only remaining structure of the Creighton/Franklin Gold Mine complex. According to the Cherokee County Historical Society, the mine was active for more than 70 years (1830s-1907) as the property blossomed into a complex that eventually included a mining plant with a large stamp mill, a chlorination plant, assay laboratory, blacksmith shop, stables, miners' cottages and a dam with 2 large turbines to generate power for the site.

Like all land in this part of Georgia, it was obtained in the Cherokee Land Lottery in the 1830s by Mrs. Mary Franklin. At one time, the property ballooned to 1,280 acres. By 1883 it was owned and operated by J.M. Creighton.

Photographer facing north

Today, the Shingle House sits alone in an open hayfield, slowly decaying under the cover of climbing vines, the only remnant of the once thriving village of Creighton Hills.

The structure is part of a list of twelve "Sites Worth Saving", compiled by the Cherokee County Historical Society. Privately owned, there is no indication that any preservation attempts will be made.  

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.