Category Archives: Tennille GA
Thomas W. Smith House, 1900, Tennille
This homes was built for Tennille merchant and Mayor, Thomas W. Smith, whose family lived here for over 85 years. The National Register nomination form notes: …the Thomas W. Smith House typifies Choate’s residential architectural designs during the early years of his architectural career. Charles E. Choate (1865-1929) was a minister-architect prolific in Georgia and adjacent states at the turn of the last century; the greatest concentration of his work can be found in the Tennille-Sandersville area.
National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --WASHINGTON COUNTY GA--, Tennille GA
Craftsman Houses of Tennille
The Craftsman style, among the most popular architectural movements of the early 20th century, is well represented in Tennille.
This example, with stone siding on the porch, is one of my favorites.
It’s evident that these houses and bungalows are well-loved by their owners.
Whether in relatively original condition or recently restored, they’re a great asset to Tennille’s wonderful historic residential area.
Filed under --WASHINGTON COUNTY GA--, Tennille GA
Central of Georgia Depot, 1869, Tennille
This historic depot is nearly identical to the Central of Georgia facility located in Toomsboro.
Filed under --WASHINGTON COUNTY GA--, Tennille GA
M. G. Smith House, 1890, Tennille
James Morris Smith, Jr., writes: This house was built for the President of the Wrightsville and Tennille Railroad. My mom interviewed his daughter in the late 1970’s and the daughter told my mom the location of the woods where the timber was cut outside Harrison, Ga. The felled trees were stacked, set out to dry, for three (3) years before being sent to the saw mill in Harrison, Ga. My mom and dad were the high bidder for this house when they purchased it in 1974. In a sealed bid auction their high bid was $16,700.00. I helped them all that summer in 1974 prepare the house for them to move in. I spent one (1) night there in the summer of 1974. Then moved to Boca Raton, FL to study Ocean Engineering. We made thousands and thousands of great, great memories in this beautiful home.
Filed under --WASHINGTON COUNTY GA--, Tennille GA
Wrightsville & Tennille Railroad Company Building, 1903, Tennille
This is my favorite railroad building in Georgia that isn’t a depot. It was designed by Charles E. Choate (1865-1929), a Methodist minister-architect with churches, banks and other structures to his credit in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama; I believe it to be a private residence today.
A history of the Wrightsville & Tennille Railroad Company, from the Rail Georgia website: The W&T was chartered in 1883 to build a line from the Central of Georgia at Tennille to Wrightsville, about 17 miles south in Johnson County. Three years later the W&T merged with the newly completed 19-mile Dublin & Wrightsville Railroad, creating a 36-mile line from Tennille to Dublin. In the 1889 edition of The Official Railway List, the W&T reported operating 36 miles of railroad, 3 locomotives, 2 passenger cars, and 5 freight and miscellaneous cars. In 1896, the W&T bought the Dublin-to-Hawkinsville line of the Oconee & Western Railroad and consolidated it into its own operations in 1899. The result was a 75-mile line from Tennille to Hawkinsville. In 1907, the W&T acquired the Dublin & Southwestern Railroad, a 28-mile line between Dublin and Eastman. This would be the last addition to the “Wiggle and Twist,” so called for the many curves along its route. In 1941, both branches of the railroad west of Dublin were abandoned, leaving several communities in Dodge and Laurens counties without rail service. Although it had been owned by the Central of Georgia since 1899, the W&T operated independently for most of its existence. In 1971, it was merged into the parent line and today serves as a branch of Norfolk Southern Railway.
National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --WASHINGTON COUNTY GA--, Tennille GA
