The Road Less Traveled

Building left to decay…..

I have always appreciated architecture, in many forms. Whether it is an old timber building or a modern design. Everywhere along the back roads in Georgia, there were many old homesteads, barns, small groceries and abandoned churches. I often wonder  what happened. Was it an economic reason? The small community could not be sustained? People moved away due to lack of work? Whatever the reason, it leaves a question of how they got to be in a state of ruin.

I recently discovered a website devoted to old building and places in Georgia. The writer and photographer ( Brian Brown )  does an excellent job showing the forgotten places throughout Georgia. I appreciate the site, mainly because many of my ancestors came from Georgia. I saw many of these sights just the other day.  If you too appreciate abandoned building, etc., please visit his site and enjoy. Brian Brown’s site is

http://vanishingsouthgeorgia.com/

another abandoned barn

Old Dead People and Decrepit Buildings

Although, short lived, my genealogy trip was a lot of fun. I began in Opelika Alabama, hoping to find the elusive Mamie Thomas, who married John R. McCall. She is still elusive by the way. I proceeded from Columbus Georgia to Talbotton Georgia. On the way, I found an old cemetery at the Ellerslie UMC Church. There is something really cool about old churches. Imagining, their member were buried at the cemetery out front. Some markers were dated earlier than 1860. After trampling through the cemetery, I then drove on to Talbotton, I wanted to see the court house. The town was really quiet, except for two men out front.  I drove around to the Leverthistoric district and saw some beautiful Greek Revival homes. Several had fallen into disrepair. My gg grandfather John R McCall was born in Talbotton in 1854. Just north in Pleasant Hill community. In the 1860 census, we was listed as an overseer, and I wondered exactly where the planation may have been. I saw several Antebellum homes on the road going out of town. Every once in a while, I would notice an old cemetery, and would have to turn around to find the entrance. May were marked with iron fences. I knew of none of my ancestors buried at any of these old cemeteries, but, I still had to look. From Talbotton, I headed south to Geneva, which was really just train tracks and highway. I found one old church, no longer in use. Then on to Buena Vista, in Marion County. I stopped in a small junk store to look around, and bought a local newspaper. I love small towns!! I drove around the square, and yes, found another cemetery. I kept going until I saw the next sign that said 29 miles to wherever. I was on a straight track to go through all the cities where my ancestors had lived.

More to come