This is a nice example of a small utilitarian house that was likely once home to a small farm family and later repurposed as a tenant house.
Tag Archives: South Georgia Landmarks
Browning Wesleyan Methodist Church, Laurens County
I’m very interested in learning more about this church, near Rentz, as I have Browning relatives from this area.
As was common tradition at one time, the church is named for a Browning family who gave the land, but that is about all I know.
The Wesleyan Methodists were a splinter from the Methodist Episcopal Church of the era.
I believe the church was built between 1910-1930.
The building has been compromised by termites and weather and is therefore very endangered.
Thanks to Stephanie Miller for making me aware of this beautiful old church.
Filed under --LAURENS COUNTY GA--
Single-Pen Tenant Farmhouse, Laurens County
This is an iconic house type in rural Georgia, sometimes referred to as Cracker Style.
It has that association as it was often the typical housing of white sharecroppers and small farmers, but it’s actually just a single-pen (one-room) house.
This example, like many I’ve encountered, has a preacher’s room on the front, which in the case of most of these utilitarian structures didn’t house a preacher but rather accommodated the needs of a growing family. It also has a shed room at the back. So, the traditional single-pen often grew as the family grew…from one room to three, in this case.
Filed under --LAURENS COUNTY GA--
Carter’s Chapel United Methodist Church, 1901, Laurens County
Carer’s Chapel was established in 1885 and named for Mrs. Edith Calhoun Carter, one of its earliest members. The original building was located across the road. I believe the present structure dates to circa 1901.
Filed under --LAURENS COUNTY GA--, Dublin GA
Orianna Baptist Church, Treutlen County
The Orianna Baptist Church was established around 1903. In his excellent, Pieces of Our Past*, Scott Thompson writes: The Baptist Church, through its trustees J.M. Hattaway and J.A. Curry, acquired its first church property from P.M. Johnson on August 21, 1903.
*- Though Scott’s blog is focused on Laurens County history, Orianna is located on the Laurens/Treuten line. The Baptist Church, like the community hall, is located on the Treutlen side.
Filed under --TREUTLEN COUNTY GA--, Orianna GA
Community Hall, Orianna
Filed under --TREUTLEN COUNTY GA--, Orianna GA