Category Archives: –BEN HILL COUNTY GA–

May 17, 2013 · 9:03 AM

Fitzgerald High School Football, 1948

Running back Lauren Hargrove (1930-2009), whose nickname was the Phantom, became a local celebrity in Fitzgerald for his role in the 1948 State Football championship, in which the Purple Hurricane beat Decatur. In these rare photographs, he’s being presented a new automobile by Pontiac dealer Albert McCormick. In today’s world, such a gift wouldn’t be possible, but it’s amazing what hometown pride meant in those days.

Lauren was running back for the Hurricane from 1945 until graduating in 1948. In that time he was All-State, All-Southern, and Prep All-American. He also had a distinguished career for the Georgia Bulldogs from 1950-52, and was a letterman in all three seasons.

It’s amazing to think of how many car dealerships there were in Fitzgerald, or any small town, back then.

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Here’s a ticket stub from the state championship game.

There’s even a book about the 1948 season, called Purple and Gold Boys, by C. R. Adams.

http://www.purplehurricane.com/history/pagb.asp

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Filed under --BEN HILL COUNTY GA--, Fitzgerald GA

Tagged as --BEN HILL COUNTY GA--, © Brian Brown/Vanishing Media, Collection of Brian Brown, Fitzgerald GA, {South Georgia Automotive History}, {South Georgia Sports}

May 14, 2013 · 9:49 AM

Garrison-Luke House, Fitzgerald

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Filed under --BEN HILL COUNTY GA--, Fitzgerald GA

Tagged as --BEN HILL COUNTY GA--, © Brian Brown/Vanishing Media, Fitzgerald GA, {South Georgia Architecture}, {South Georgia Houses}

· 9:45 AM

Shingle-Sided Cottage, Johnston Street

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Filed under --BEN HILL COUNTY GA--, Fitzgerald GA

Tagged as --BEN HILL COUNTY GA--, © Brian Brown/Vanishing Media, Fitzgerald GA, {South Georgia Architecture}, {South Georgia Houses}

· 9:41 AM

William Troup House, Fitzgerald

My friend Brenda Seabrooke, a Fitzgerald native and well-known author of children’s fiction, writes:

“…This was the house of William & Susie Troup. He was the bookkeeper at the [railroad] freight office. His nephew Sonny Boy Troup inherited it but after he died I don’t know who got it. I think the porch was removed to keep users out – it’s only a block from the old hospital site. I spent a lot of my childhood in that house. The Troups functioned as my grandparents. They were no relation but her nephew went to the same medical school my father did & my parents knew him.”

Thanks, Brenda!

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Filed under --BEN HILL COUNTY GA--, Fitzgerald GA

Tagged as --BEN HILL COUNTY GA--, © Brian Brown/Vanishing Media, Fitzgerald GA, {South Georgia Architecture}, {South Georgia Houses}, {South Georgia Victorians}

· 9:37 AM

Mary Drew House Deconstruction, Central Avenue

This simple Folk Victorian is being deconstructed; it was built by 1907 and owned by Mary Jacquelyn Ross Drew, widow of David Drew. David was one of the five Drew Brothers who had a mill at nearby Swan, Georgia, and who owned some of the land that would later become Fitzgerald. Thanks to Sherri Butler for that information. I had never really noticed its pyramidal roof before I saw it in this state.

Freight Train at Fitzgerald Yard Office

The railroad is Fitzgerald’s biggest business, and for a small town, it’s lucky to be a railroad hub, as it has been virtually since its founding in 1895-96. My father worked here for nearly 40 years.

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Filed under --BEN HILL COUNTY GA--, Fitzgerald GA

Tagged as --BEN HILL COUNTY GA--, © Brian Brown/Vanishing Media, Fitzgerald GA, {South Georgia Depots & Railroadiana}

May 1, 2013 · 12:53 PM

Young’s Chapel Methodist Church, Circa 1876

Thanks to the work of numerous photographers (links to whose work you can see at the end of this post), Young’s Chapel is now known throughout the state for its simple beauty. It’s the most peaceful and moving place I know of but its future is uncertain. Thanks to all of you who have liked the Save Young’s Chapel Methodist Church group on Facebook. I will continue to work to get it listed by the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation as a “Place in Peril”, which may help build interest in its restoration and at the very least the placement of a historic marker.

https://www.facebook.com/saveyoungschapel

See Young’s Chapel in the eyes of other photographers here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantod/3726881046/

http://farenoughphoto.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/youngs-chapel-ben-hill-county-ga/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dsfdawg/6790993020/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackdoll/4451490434/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/benholt/4676461578/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/macinnis_scott/5804259560/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10822427@N04/6824652920/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/anomyk/5191473671/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/georgiadawn/3645494300/

These images represent photographers of diverse styles but they’ve all found a common interest in Young’s Chapel; please contact me if you have an image of the church that I’ve somehow missed. I will gladly link it here.