Filling Station, Jakin
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Category Archives: –EARLY COUNTY GA–
Bank of Jakin, 1912
This served as Jakin’s only bank when nearly 2000 people called the area home during the lumber boom of the early 20th century. The charter for the bank was granted to Elisha Hilton. From 1923 to 1988, it served as the post office and today is in use as the city hall.
National Register of Historic Places
Folk Victorian Cottage, Hilton
Kolomoki Mounds, 350-750 AD, Early County
Located along Kolomoki Creek, a tributary of the nearby Chattahoochee River, Kolomoki Mounds is among the largest Woodland Period burial and temple complexes in the Southeast. The site dates to 350-750AD/CE and may have been one of the most populous settlements north of Mexico at the time. Most of the mounds are quite small in contrast to the Temple Mound, which has a base of 325 by 200 feet and a height of 56 feet. It is believed that the Temple Mound was used for religious ceremonies and there is speculation that the chieftain’s house was located on the west side (seen below) of the mound, which is slightly higher than the east side.
Various tribes made this site home, including Weeden Island, Kolomoki, and Lamar Indians.
This view, from atop the Temple Mound, looks out onto a vast plaza. This was a typical layout for Woodland villages. The plaza would have included various houses of wattle and daub construction, roofed with local grasses. In its time, all of this would have been exposed red clay.
Looking down the steps to the plaza gives some perspective as to the size of the temple mound.
This burial mound, on the plaza, is known simply as Mound D. At 20 feet, it’s one of the largest extant Woodland burial mounds. It was completely excavated in the early 1950s; radiocarbon dating has suggested it was built around 30AD/CE, with a margin of error of 300 years. More information about the site’s smaller mounds and a history of archaeological excavations conducted here over the years can be found at the New Georgia Encyclopedia. Sadly, a theft at the site in 1974 resulted in the loss of numerous pieces of pottery and other artifacts. It’s hoped that an inventory of the stolen items, which are still sought by the park, will eventually lead to some of them being recovered.
There is much to see at Kolomoki Mounds State Park, including abundant wildlife and flora. This Gopher Tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), covered in red clay, was crossing the main road in the park. They were likely quite abundant here in the Woodland Period.
National Historic Landmark
Historic Storefronts, Blakely
Blakely has done a nice job of preserving and maintaining the historic storefronts surrounding the courthouse. Two of the highlights are seen at right. The Blakely Theatre (1936) has been restored for use as a performing arts space. Unlike most small-town theatres, which were built in the Art Deco style, the Blakely was built with Colonial Revival features. The adjacent Alexander Building (1904) is an unusually well-preserved turn-of-the-century commercial block which has recently been restored.
Blakely Court Square Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Magnolia Lodge Neon Sign, Blakely
Blakely Court Square Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
White Pond Free Will Baptist Church, Early County
Houston Coin Laundry, Damascus
At the other end of Main Street is the Houston Coin Laundry and another derelict storefront.
The window paintings are a nice feature.
Main Street Storefronts, Damascus
Most of these storefronts are in ruins and will soon be gone. The building on the far right was Brady’s Food Basket, the local grocery store.
Damascus, Georgia
Unless you’re from the area, or or an aficionado of forgotten places like me, you’ve likely never heard of Damascus. But if you’re a student of modern literature, you just might be familiar with former Georgia poet laureate David Bottoms‘s masterful poem, In a U-Haul North of Damascus. The poem is not about Damascus, per se, but this tiny town took its place in the literary pantheon with the publication of that work.
Vanishing Georgia: Photographs by Brian Brown 