Tag Archives: South Georgia Colleges & Universities
Norman College Administration Building, 1949, Norman Park
This originally served as the administration building for Norman College. A granite marker commemorates the history of the college, with the First Baptist Church in the background. Jim Howard notes: This building replaced the building destroyed by fire in 1945, completed and occupied in January 1949. The public high school used the premises along with junior college students
Filed under --COLQUITT COUNTY GA--, Norman Park GA
Brand Hall, 1904, Norman Park
Though most recently known as the Georgia Baptist Conference Center, the Norman Park campus began in 1900 as the Norman Institute, a school for first grade through high school. It was named for the Norman family, who had been among its largest benefactors and organizers. In the 1920s a junior college curriculum was added and in 1928 the name was changed to Norman Junior College. With an expanded curriculum, it became Norman College in 1951. Due to declining enrollment, the institution was closed in 1971. The Georgia Baptist Convention assumed the assets and liabilities of the college and the Norman Baptist Assembly opened in summer 1971. As of 2016, the property has been transferred to Shorter College, based in Rome.
Brand Hall is the oldest structure associated with the Norman Park Institute, having originally served as a dormitory.
Filed under --COLQUITT COUNTY GA--, Norman Park GA
Georgia Normal College & Business Institute Dormitory, Abbeville
Best known as the Shedd House today, this landmark originally served as a boarding house/dormitory for the Georgia Normal College & Business Institute, which was located across the street. The school opened in 1899 and this house is its only surviving link, to my knowledge. A postcard of the dormitory can be seen here, but it depicts a much larger building with the same architecture. This leads me to believe this may just be a portion of that original structure, also referred to as the Central Hotel. According to Doni Helms, whose grandfather Shedd owned the building after its public use, it also served as a boarding house for railroad workers for a time. He recalls that the brass room numbers could still be found on the doors when they first moved in. Doni has written a book about his experiences in this house and growing up in Abbeville called Tales from 316 Depot Street.
Filed under --WILCOX COUNTY GA--, Abbeville GA
Early Postcard Views of Tifton
Love Avenue and Methodist Church, Circa 1907
I’ve been collecting antique postcards of South Georgia towns since I was in college, beginning in 1988. I recently inherited a large collection and like to share them from time to time. Most of these were not used, but they date from 1905-1915.
Class of Stump Pullers, Second Congressional District Agricultural School (Known as ABAC today)
Hotel Myon, Circa 1912
Business Section
Through the Pines, Near Tifton
E. L. Vickers Residence
As it looks today.
Filed under --TIFT COUNTY GA--, Tifton GA
Baptist Female College Dormitory, 1852, Cuthbert
Variously known locally as the Muse-Dews-Gay-Martin-Blaskow House, this structure, which has been enlarged and improved during its long history, was originally built by a Baptist minister known as “Uncle Tommy” Muse for use as the dormitory of the Baptist Female College of Southwest Georgia. The school was also known as the Cuthbert Female College. It operated until 1863 and was briefly reopened a few times into the 1870s. By the 1880s the property was given to the state and from then on was used for private residences.
Kathy Wagoner shared these photos made while her uncle, George Blaskow, lived here in the 1960s and 1970s. It’s nice to see how it looked as a residence.
National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --RANDOLPH COUNTY GA--, Cuthbert GA
Old Main (Andrew College), 1892, Cuthbert
Andrew College, originally known as Andrew Female College, was the second college in America to grant degrees to women, beginning in 1854. It operated as a four-year women’s college until 1917, when it became a two-year school. In 1956, it became coeducational. During the Civil War, classes ceased and the school was used as a Confederate hospital. In 1892, Andrew’s structures burned to the ground but thanks to fundraising by the community, Old Main was built that same year.
Cuthbert Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --RANDOLPH COUNTY GA--, Cuthbert GA
South Georgia College Administration Building, 1892, McRae
South Georgia College began operations in January 1893, a result of an educational initiative by the South Georgia Conference of the Methodist Church. (The school never had any assocaition with the present South Georgia College, in Douglas). Reverend W. A. Huckabee served as the first president. Although called a college from the outset, the institution actually offered various levels of instruction, from grammar and high school, to two years of college for students inclined to further their educations. The college closed in 1928, when the Methodist Church withdrew their financial backing. The campus was sold to the local school district and this structure served as the high school until the 1960s when it became a primary school. It’s now home to the Telfair Center for the Arts.
National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --TELFAIR COUNTY GA--, McRae GA