This photograph of Riley Spear’s garage was made circa 1939. Cathy Fussell notes this was a well-known business in Columbus for many years.
Category Archives: –MUSCOGEE COUNTY GA–
Columbian Lodge No. 7 F&AM, 1902, Columbus
Also known as the Flowers Building, for a later tenant, this Chicago-style landmark was designed by architect T. Frith Lockwood to house the local Masons. The floors not used for the lodge were rented as office and retail space. It’s now used as a residential space. (Lockwood’s son, T. F., Jr., was also a prominent Georgia architect).
Columbus Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --MUSCOGEE COUNTY GA--, Columbus GA
Empire Building, 1896, Columbus
Originally known as the Columbus Investment Company Building, this was known as the Murrah Building by 1910. In 1958, it was renamed the Empire Building.
Columbus Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --MUSCOGEE COUNTY GA--, Columbus GA
Federal-Style House, 1840, Columbus
This house is quite similar in style to the Milledgeville Federal houses which can be found in the old capital city. This style is not common and is quite interesting to see in Columbus. Architectural historians may call it Federal-inspired or Federal Revival, but I was immediately aware of the aesthetic connection to the Milledgeville houses.
Columbus Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --MUSCOGEE COUNTY GA--, Columbus GA
Carpenter Italianate House, 1870, Columbus
Columbus Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --MUSCOGEE COUNTY GA--, Columbus GA
Walker-Peters-Langdon House, 1828, Columbus
Prefab housing of the 19th century? This house was built for Colonel Virgil H. Walker by Nathaniel Peters and is believed to have been fabricated offsite, then constructed at this location. Thought to be the oldest house in the original city limits of Columbus, it was likely a town house for Colonel Walker’s large family, who were prominent landowners in neighboring Harris County. Colonel Walker sold the house and lot in 1836 to Mrs. Dicey Peters. In 1849, Mrs. Peter’s daughter Frances, who had married Will Langdon, obtained the house. Members of the Langdon family occupied the house for over a hundred years. Today, the property is owned by the Historic Columbus Foundation. It’s open for tours, but only by appointment.
National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --MUSCOGEE COUNTY GA--, Columbus GA
Federal-Style House, 1835, Columbus
This amazing survivor is located next door to the Pemberton House.
Columbus Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --MUSCOGEE COUNTY GA--, Columbus GA
Pemberton Country Home, 1860, Columbus
This house served as the residence of Dr. John S. Pemberton from 1860-1869. He moved into this house from the white cottage pictured in the previous post. Originally located four miles north of Columbus, it was relocated here in 1977 to afford it the protection of the Columbus Historic District.
Columbus Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --MUSCOGEE COUNTY GA--, Columbus GA
Dr. John S. Pemberton House, 1840, Columbus
Dr. John Stith Pemberton is known worldwide as the inventor of Coca-Cola. Born on 8 July 1831 in Knoxville, Georgia, and raised in Rome, Soon after he received his pharmacy license he married Eliza Crawford Lewis and the couple moved to Columbus. They lived in this house from 1855-1860. I’m unsure if the Greek Revival details are original or a later addition. Wounded in the Battle of Columbus in 1865, Dr. Pemberton in an attempt to alleviate pain became addicted to morphine. In his search for a cure to his addiction came the genesis of Coca-Cola, which Coca-Cola historian Phil Mooney asserts was invented in Columbus, not Atlanta as most assume. The Coca-Cola Company’s website, however, doesn’t concur. Either way, Dr. Pemberton sold the formula soon after he invented it. He died on 16 August 1888 in Atlanta and was returned to Columbus for burial.
Dr. John Stith Pemberton – Public Domain Image via Wikipedia
National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --MUSCOGEE COUNTY GA--, Columbus GA
Colonial Revival House, 1900, Columbus
Columbus Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --MUSCOGEE COUNTY GA--, Columbus GA
