Category Archives: –PEACH COUNTY GA–
H. V. Kell Building, 1912, Fort Valley
Downtown Fort Valley National Register Historic District
H. V. Kell was a a grocery-hardware store chain. The stenciled advertising placed diagonally between the windows was very common in the late-19th and early-20th centuries, but is rarely seen intact today. The banners read, from left to right: Farm Hardware; Field Fence; Roofing Nails; Paints And Oil.
Fort Valley was a real surprise, as I’d only passed through the area briefly before my recent photo expedition there. There are three National Register Historic Districts in the town and one of the most interesting and well maintained downtowns I’ve seen in awhile. It’s a bit out of the way, but definitely worth a trip whether you’re a photographer, historian, or casual visitor.
Filed under --PEACH COUNTY GA--, Fort Valley GA
Anthoine Machine Shop Shed, Fort Valley
Fort Valley Railroad National Register Historic District
This outbuilding is located at the Anthoine Machine Shop along Railroad Street. Established in 1885, the Anthoine Machine Shop is the second oldest business in Peach County and is one of just a few machine shops still using line shafts in Georgia. Vanishing icons of the Industrial Revolution, line shafts were the common mode of power transmission in machinery until the widespread availability of small motors deemed them unnecessary.
Filed under --PEACH COUNTY GA--, Fort Valley GA
Church Street, Fort Valley
The building in the middle is the Fort Valley Masonic Lodge #110, F. & A. M.
Filed under --PEACH COUNTY GA--, Fort Valley GA
Peach County Court House, 1936
Downtown Fort Valley National Register Historic District
Designed by Dennis & Dennis, Architects. This is likely a WPA construction.
Filed under --PEACH COUNTY GA--, Fort Valley GA
Old Peach County Jail
Peach County, Georgia’s newest, was created in 1924. I’m not sure if this was built during its first years in existence or a bit later by the WPA.
Filed under --PEACH COUNTY GA--, Fort Valley GA
Fort Valley Police Department, 1932
Downtown Fort Valley National Register Historic District
I first thought this to be a WPA construction, but the 1932 date is a bit early for that. It was orginally built as a post office and is very similar to many WPA-era post offices.
Filed under --PEACH COUNTY GA--, Fort Valley GA
J. L. Fincher House, 1882, Fort Valley
Everett Square National Register Historic District
J. L. Fincher, a jeweler by trade, was twice mayor of Fort Valley. This was the first house to be electrified in Fort Valley. I think it’s one of the nicest Queen Annes in Georgia. Also known as the Adamson House.
Most of the background information for this and other structures in Fort Valley come from the publication, The Historic Architecture of Fort Valley: A Walking-Driving Guide, Third Edition, © 2009, The Peach County Historical Society. Every community such be so lucky as to have such a useful guide!
It’s available as a PDF and you can access it here: http://www.historicmiddlegeorgia.org/cmsAdmin/uploads/Walking_Tour_2009_afw_11-3-10_Brochure.pdf
Filed under --PEACH COUNTY GA--, Fort Valley GA
