The term American Small House has been assigned in recent years to a type of structure that proliferated from the mid-1930s to the mid-1950s. A movement began during the Depression, dictated by changing economic realities, to promote the construction of small homes, often prefabricated, to make home ownership more broadly available to the masses. Previous terms for this type included Depression Cottage, Victory Cottage, and FHA House. This abandoned example well illustrates the general layout of the American Small House.
Tag Archives: South Georgia Houses
Cross-Gable House, 1890, Rincon
This charming vernacular house has a formal portico on the first-floor porch. It’s essentially a Georgian form with a T-Gable roof.
Filed under --EFFINGHAM COUNTY GA--, Rincon GA
Folk Victorian House, 1894, Rincon
This was likely built by the builder of the Elliot B. Hinley House, two blocks away; if not, it was strongly influenced by it.
Filed under --EFFINGHAM COUNTY GA--, Rincon GA
Elliot B. Hinely House, 1894, Rincon
This is one of two very similar Georgian-style Folk Victorians on Georgia Avenue. There is a nice windmill in the back yard of this property.
Filed under --EFFINGHAM COUNTY GA--, Rincon GA
Beall-Dowlen House, 1900s, Fitzgerald
This Eclectic Victorian house was built by the Beall family of Bowen’s Mill circa 1907, then served as the parsonage of the Methodist church from 1912 until 1944. Sam P. and Hazel Evans Dowlen purchased it that year and their daughter, Nan Lee, lovingly maintains it to this day.
Nan is very passionate about the history of the house and notes that it’s essentially in original condition.
South Main Street-South Lee Street Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --BEN HILL COUNTY GA--, Fitzgerald GA
Saunderson House, 1900s, Fitzgerald
This was the home of Warren Edgar (Sr.) and Ruby Walker Saunderson. Mr. Saunderson was one of the pioneer settlers of the Old Soldiers’ Colony of Fitzgerald. The form, a Victorian T-Plan gable front house, was popular with immigrants to the colony from Indiana and is one of several remaining examples in Fitzgerald.
It features a patriotic Union shield in the front vent. A few homes of Confederate veterans once featured the same emblem, but turned upside down. I’m not sure if any of those survive outside the Blue & Gray Museum today. I believe the house dates to circa 1905.
Thanks to Jan Stokes for the identification. She grew up down the street and recalls: Mr. Saunderson was tall and thin and very quiet. Mrs. Saunderson was short, round, and jolly.
South Main Street-South Lee Street Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Filed under --BEN HILL COUNTY GA--, Fitzgerald GA
Central Hallway Cottage, Ideal
Tax records date this house to 1908 but I believe the front section is a much earlier central hallway cottage.
Filed under --MACON COUNTY GA--, Ideal GA