The community of Tallahassee is an historic African-American settlement about 5 miles north of Hazlehurst. It likely gets its name from the nearby highway, which was once the Savannah-Tallahassee Road and one of only two roads passing through the county in the early 1870s. This structure, located adjacent to the Tallahassee Missionary Baptist Church, is likely a fraternal lodge.
Filed under --JEFF DAVIS COUNTY GA--, Tallahassee GA
This was originally built for the local telephone company and housed its offices and switchboard. It has also been home to the Masonic lodge and the Woodmen of the World. I believe it dates to the last decade of the 19th century.
Filed under --COOK COUNTY GA--, Sparks GA
The Ferguson Store was located on the ground level of the DeSoto Masonic lodge. It was most recently known as Disco D’s Warehouse, which I assume was a nightclub.
Filed under --SUMTER COUNTY GA--, DeSoto GA
Under the leadership of Methodist minister Emmett Emerson Gardner, the local Boy Scout troop cut, notched, and scraped the logs and erected this cabin for use as their lodge.
Originally consisting of two rooms, the cabin was later remodeled for use as the first library in Fort Gaines.
It’s located adjacent to the Toll House.
Filed under --CLAY COUNTY GA--, Fort Gaines GA
The Masonic Lodge is also home to the Wilkinson County Post. Maebob’s Diner is located to the left of the building.
Filed under --WILKINSON COUNTY GA--, Irwinton GA
Though it’s best known as the Elks Lodge today, this is one of Fitzgerald’s oldest houses. It was built by local banker E. K. Farmer in 1905. Originally a wooden edifice, it was much smaller than it is today and had no columns. The wings were not part of the original, either. In 1918 the Powells purchased the property and remodeled it to look like FDR’s home, Springwood, in Hyde Park, New York, adding the brick, round portico, and side wings. The Fitzgerald Elks Club purchased the property sometime in the late 1950s and added a ballroom to the rear of the house. The present owners, Mark & Anna Oliver, added a courtyard and carriage house across the drive which includes the tenth bedroom. Anna, who shared the history, writes: In the main house there are nine bedrooms, three baths upstairs and three half baths downstairs. Originally we think it was a six bedroom house. It was built with a central vacuum system in the walls and a basement. The house is presently for sale and would make a wonderful investment. A commercial kitchen and ballroom are included. Brenda Seabrooke recalls: The house was for sale in 1941. It didn’t sell so the Powells ran it as a florist in the 1940’s. I remember seeing buckets of flowers in a room off the kitchen. There was one bedroom with a full bath I think to the left of the ground floor stairs. In winter those rooms were an ice cave. Bamboo grew along the back and east side to screen the turpentine distillery and Kicklighter’s service station.
Filed under --BEN HILL COUNTY GA--, Fitzgerald GA
