Georgia Natural Wonder #223 - Victoria Bryant State Park - Franklin Co. (Part 1). 679

[Top Row Dawg]

Georgia Natural Wonder #223 - Victoria Bryant State Park - Franklin County (Part 1)

I thought this State Park theme would be boring, and maybe it is compared to some of the earlier wonders on this Forum. But they are State Parks for a reason, and I continue to be surprised what is there, as I have not visited ALL the State Parks. They make for worthy Georgia Natural Wonders way down here past 200. And, there are two State Parks in Franklin County, so that allows us to do two tangents on the history of Franklin County. Hell, there are over 40 National Register of Historic Places listings in Franklin County. There are over 20 Historical Markers in Franklin County so let's get started with the first State Park.


All about the Rice Creek Falls (Sliding Rock) when there's enough water.

Our TRD Scrolling Nugget today is Victoria by the Kinks.



Victoria Bryant State Park is a 502-acre Georgia state park located near Franklin Springs in Franklin County. The site was originally owned by Paul Bryant, who donated the land in 1952 as a state park, with the condition it be named after his late mother, Victoria Bryant. This park offers facilities ranging from picnic sites and a swimming pool to an 18-hole golf course. The North Fork of the Broad River flows through the park, adding several water hazards to the course. The park also offers a short nature trail plus a long perimeter trail that takes hikers through hardwood forests. In addition, the park is home to many species of birds, plants, and reptiles.


Most of the time it is just a trickle like when TRD visited with son's Cub Scout Troop in 1990's.

Department of Natural Resources

"Whether driving through the ford in Rice Creek, taking a slide down Sliding Rock or camping under the stars you can spend days relishing in the historic landscape and roaming through the rolling hills of Victoria Bryant State Park."

Nestled in the rolling hills of Georgia’s upper Piedmont plateau, this is one of northern Georgia’s best kept secrets.



A beautiful stream flows through the park, providing the perfect setting for an after-picnic stroll.



Rice Creek Falls - Sliding Rock

Nice when there has been rain to make the creek flow strong.



The kids and adults can ride down the rocks.



Victoria Bryant State Park has 5 picnic shelters and more than 60 picnic tables (not counting those under the shelters).



Picnic tables are first come first served and free to use. You will need to have a Park Pass for parking. Small grills are located throughout the park as well.



A swimming pool and bathhouse are open seasonally. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.

Camping

Campers can stay overnight in the small, comfortable campground.



This park is beautiful! There is a small river with rocks and picturesque bridges - perfect for photos or just contemplation. There are several walking/hiking paths that go by the river or over the nearby hills. They have two small playgrounds outside the campground and a couple in the camping areas.



Our family loves to camp in the tent area since they have covered platforms with water and electricity. Also on the outside of the platform there are built in wooden benches to increase your seating area from the standard picnic bench provided.



The tent areas are fairly close to the restrooms (which are kept clean) and are separated from the RV areas so they feel a little more secluded.

Hiking

Hiking is GREAT at Victoria Bryant with trails from a 1/2 mile to 3 and 1/2 miles.



The terrain varies throughout the park offering a wide range of hiking experiences.



Hikers can follow either the short nature trail or the longer perimeter trail that travels through hardwoods and crosses creeks.



Animal lovers should keep an eye out for wildlife while passing food plots along the perimeter trail.



Beautiful place to enjoy a nice, quiet trail! There are great views, lots of shade, nice ponds, a lovely creek to follow with some nice waterfalls, and a few bridges on which to stop and rest and take in the beauty all around you!



Enjoy this 5.8-mile loop trail near Royston, Georgia. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 28 min to complete. This is a popular trail for birding, camping, and fishing, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day.



The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.



Reviews of Hikers - Yelp - All Trails

Hiked the orange perimeter loop and purple trail to the beaver pond. The trail was great—we only saw 2 other people the whole time! Some areas of the trail were not well marked (mostly getting from the playground parking lot to the trail’s start and end, but otherwise no problems! Trail itself was doable, but there were moments we felt like we kept going uphill regardless of the direction we were hiking!



We hiked from the campground to and around the purple trail. It was a well marked walk through the woods. The beaver pond is all dried up, nothing to see there. Bonus is a couple golf course bathrooms that are right off the trail if needed.



We started at the campground and took the inner loop trail to the Victoria's Path Trail, we then hit the footbridge/Creek Ford and picked up the perimeter trail and hiked that to the intersection with Broad River Loop Trail.



We hiked the entire Broad River Loop Trail and then continued on with the perimeter trail until we reached the inner loop again and took that back to the campground. So our hike basically covered most of the parks trails with the exception of the segment of the Perimeter Trail from Fish Pond 1 to the Inner Loop. It took 3 hours.



Like others have mentioned, the trails are wide paths and I would consider them more of a walk in the woods as opposed to a true hike. Victoria's path is probably the prettiest because it is along the stream.



The sliding rock was so much fun, We must have gone down 50 times. I did not have high expectations for this park, but we can recommend it for a visit.



The campsite was great! Loved how the platform site protected us from the rain we had on Friday night.



We caught bream at the pond near the park entrance, played in Rice creek, hiked the perimeter trail, played tetherball, and of course enjoyed a campfire under the stars. The water/electric sites were in excellent condition and the park ranger and camp host were extremely helpful and kind.



The Highland Walk golf course was challenging and just as beautiful as the neighboring state park.

Biking

We have over 7 miles of unpaved trails, some quite challenging. Bicycles are welcome on all trails, except for Victoria’s Trail, which is walking only.


Weekend Warrior Review:

First off the trail varies in length depending on which route you take. The most common bike trail is actually 4.5 miles and is outlaid in orange on the park map. There is an option for another 3 miles that goes out then loops and comes back to the main trail. The trail is typical Georgia red dirt and rocky. In fact there are a lot of loose rocks which makes for slipping climbs at times and risky downhills. This trail is hard to rate because even though it isn't very technical, it is a true workout and very fun in sections (would be much better without the loose rock). Nice scenes at times if you take the whole trail. Several rough climbs and some fun downhills.



Ride the orange route on the park map if you are in a hurry, include the purple loop if you have time (for total of a little over 7 miles).

Fishing

There are two stocked ponds at Victoria Bryant State Park.


Swimming is not allowed in the ponds.

They contain Bass, Carp, Catfish, Bream, and Crappie. Bass, Carp, and Catfish are Catch And Release ONLY.



Bream and Crappie have a 5 each limit. Persons of age 16 or older must have a valid resident/nonresident fishing license.

Highland Walk Golf Course

Golfers will enjoy the park’s superbly-conditioned Highland Walk Golf Course with full amenities and reasonable rates. Memberships, golf packages, and tournament pricing are available.



The course is built on steep, rolling hills with broad, crowned Bermuda fairways leading to generous, sloping Bermuda greens.



But don’t let the courses beauty fool you, Highland Walk is a challenging course that requires accurate shot making to score well.



On the GOLFPASS annual Golfers' Choice lists in 2021, Highland Walk scored 25th out of 207 golf courses reviewed in Georgia.



The course’s Bluebird Cottage is available for overnight golf packages. Highland Walk Golf Course Layout.



Victoria Bryant State Park combines beautiful scenery and abundant recreational opportunities with an atmosphere that's refreshingly relaxing. It may not be the biggest or best-known of Georgia's state parks, but it's still well worth checking out if you ever get the chance.



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Franklin County

Well that wraps up the Natural Wonder of this post with the first of two State Parks in Franklin County, so that allows us to do two tangents on the County. This first post covers the history of Franklin County and the over 40 National Register of Historic Places listings in Franklin County. Franklin County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The county seat is Carnesville.



According to the 2010 U.S. census, the population is 22,084, an increase from the 2000 population of 20,285.

History

Franklin County, in northeast Georgia, was the first county established in the state after the American Revolution (1775-83). William Bartram traveled through part of present-day Franklin County in 1773. At that time members of the Lower Cherokee Indian tribe lived there. The 1783 Treaty of Augusta established the land claim from the native residents. On February 25, 1784, Franklin and Washington became Georgia's eighth and ninth counties, with Franklin named in honor of patriot Benjamin Franklin.




Marker and Courthouse Franklin County Georgia.

In its original form, Franklin County included all of the territory now in Banks, Barrow, Clarke, Jackson, Oconee, and Stephens counties, and parts of the modern-day Gwinnett, Hall, Hart, and Madison counties, as well as three counties that are now part of South Carolina.


I don't see half those counties in this 1785 map. I do see the South Carolina portion. Upon closer inspection that territory does go above Greensboro. May be parts of Clarke, Oconee, Barrow, and smidgen of Gwinnett. Plus map not quite to scale it seems.

In 1787 parts of the original lands were ceded to South Carolina. Tugaloo River now State Border.


1846 Franklin County. Chunks of Hart, Banks, Madison, Elbert, Habersham, Jackson, and Hall Counties still part of Franklin County before Civil War. That part of Habersham is now Stephens County. That part of Elbert is now Hart County.


1885 Franklin County. Boundaries settled down before the Lake. 

The exact location of the first courthouse, established in 1793, is unknown. The county seat, Carnesville, was incorporated in 1807, and in 1826 a second, more substantial courthouse was built there. The town is named for Thomas Peter Carnes, a lawyer and congressman of the Revolutionary War era.


Carnes grave and courthouse tower.

The current courthouse dates to 1906. Other  towns include Canon, established in 1875 as West Bowerville (changed to Canon in 1902); Lavonia, established about 1878; Royston, incorporated in 1879; and Franklin Springs, a pre–Civil War (1861-65) health resort known for its mineral springs. Lavonia is the smallest city in the United States with an original Carnegie Library building. The Franklin Springs property is now owned by the Pentecostal Holiness Church and houses Emmanuel College.


Franklin County has several miles of shoreline on Lake Hartwell.

The terrain of the county originally consisted mainly of oak-hickory forests. The early settlers cleared large tracts for agriculture, and for 200 years much of the land was devoted to cotton, corn, sorghum, and more recently, livestock. Some of it is now reverting to old-field succession, which, if uninterrupted, will culminate in broadleaf deciduous forest. Livestock production constitutes an overwhelming majority of the agricultural output of the county; the Franklin County Livestock Market in Carnesville is the largest in the state. The Cromer’s Mill covered bridge was built in 1906 and still stands.


Though it is no longer used for motor traffic.

National Register of Historic Places listings in Franklin County, Georgia

Adams House (Lavonia, Georgia)



Victorian inspired frame one story residence built on a central hall plan. Slender chamfered post wraps around three sides of structure. Multiple roofs. 

William Ariail House



A one-story, wood- framed house originally constructed about 1850.



Folk Victorian-style details include the chamfered posts with fan-shaped brackets on the front wrap-around porch and patterned shingles in the roof gables.



Ayers-Little Boarding House



Frame one, and one-half-story house located at the southeastern corner of the courthouse square. Derived from a post office and a dwelling that were joined by a breezeway after 1860. Lizzie Little, who resided in the basement, provided the three bedrooms on the main floor and the three upper-story rooms to boarders.



The Ayers-Little Boarding House provided housing for, among others, female teachers who taught at the Tugaloo Institute in Carnesville. The boarding house is significant in the area social history: women's history because boarding houses were among the few businesses that were open to women in  the 19th  and early 20th centuries.

Baty School

The Baty School is a one-story, wood-framed school building constructed c. 1884. The rectangular building stands on stone piers.



John Wilson Baty (organized community effort to build school). Typical of rural vernacular structures along the Old Federal Road. Most such buildings were utilitarian and almost completely devoid of ornamentation or stylistic expression. Significant for the role it played in the education of children within approximately a two mile radius of the school, from the early 1880s until the early 1930s.



The first teacher at the school was Elvis L. James (1858-1902) from Murphy, North Carolina, who had come into the area selling books to raise money for his own education. Within a year he married Victoria Baty, the oldest of the Baty children.

Beasley House

Significant as a representative example of a relatively modest Victorian-era home. Two gables are placed symmetrically on the front facade. A one-story porch wraps around two sides of  the structure.



In local history, this home is significant due to its association with the original owner, R. L. Beasley who was a local merchant in the Lavonia community for a number of years and operated a grocery business a few blocks from this residence.

Bellamy Historic District

The Bellamy Historic District, in Franklin County, Georgia near Carnesville, Georgia, It is a 200 acres historic district which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. The listing included 14 contributing buildings.The farm complexes that make up this community are located along the Old Federal Road.



It includes double pen architecture and Queen Anne architecture.

It includes the Richard Bellamy Log House, built c. 1800, a clapboard-covered one-story log house which is about 26 by 18 feet in plan.



The Richard Bellamy House is a two - room log house constructed about 1800. It is the oldest house along this portion of the Old Federal Road and pre-dates the establishment of the road.



The John T. Stevenson House, built in 1886, is a one-story clapboard house with a standing seam metal roof and four stone chimneys constructed with clay mortar.

John R. and Mary Harber Bond House



Significant in architecture as a late -19th century Georgia farm house on the Old Federal Road.



Inside are found three fireplaces with mantels featuring piers, mirrors and mantel shelves.



The John R. and Mary Harber Bond House is one of the more ornate residential structures on the Old Federal Road and reflects Victorian era architectural elements in its additions. 

Bond-Baker-Carter House

This was restored by Royston First United Methodist Church and is now used as their administrative office.



The original turret was taller and more conical but the restoration is still impressive.

Brown-Kennedy House



The Brown-Kennedy House is a c. 1910 one-story, Queen Anne cottage with a hipped roof and rear gabled ell.



Burton House

In terms of architecture the Burton House, a late Victorian-eclectic cottage, is significant as a relatively intact example of a locally prevalent style of house. Its massing and detailing document the evolution from late Victorian to Craftsman styling.



In terms of history, the house is  significant as the home of James F.  Burton, Manager of  the Southern Cotton Oil Company, an important local industry.

Cannon-McDaniel House

The Cannon-McDaniel House is architecturally significant as a relatively elaborate and intact example of local Victorian-era design. This particular example of  the style is among the most elaborately detailed in Lavonia.



Historically the house is significant as the home of J. F. Cannon, a local farmer and livestock merchant, and J. McDaniel, part owner of a local hardware store and a Clerk of Franklin County.

Canon Commercial Historic District

The Canon Commercial Historic District in Canon, Georgia is a 4.5 acres historic district which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.



The listing included eight contributing buildings.


Canon Hotel.

It includes the Canon Hotel, a two-story Georgian Revival-style building. and the W.F. Bowers Building, a one-story brick building built in the early 1890s, which, in 1985, had a "deteriorated Greek Revival-style porch at the Depot Street level that is supported by square brick columns. The central portal has a glass transom and a segmental arch and is flanked by a window on each side and four square brick wall pilasters. The porch has square wood columns and a wooden balustrade supported by square brick pillars."


W.F. Bowers Building.

Cason House

The Cason House is significant as a good intact local example of the brick Craftsman- style house. Its low massing and low roofline, asymmetric arrangement, non-historic detailing, and straight forward use of materials are characteristic of the style. It was built by Jack Grubbs, an important early 20th century Lavonia builder who built several other structures in the multiple resource area.



In terms of  local history, the house is significant as the home of Dr.  R.  R.  Cason, Lavonia's fourth dentist, who practiced in a downtown office.

Cheek House



This structure is  significant as an example of early twentieth-century eclectic residential design. The narrow, two-over-two plan with central hall reflects the earlier I-house or Plantation-Plain tradition. The steep front gable reflects the Gothic Revival style. The two-story porch is reminiscent of Greek Revival architecture and the Ionic columns on the front porch and rear porch are Neoclassical-inspired elements. Such eclecticism is characteristic of builder-designed houses.



This structure is also important for its association with W. E. Stevenson, a local craftsman a brick mason who built numerous structures within the multiple resource area. This structure is  the finest residential structure built by Stevenson within Lavonia. It uses bricks manufactured in Stevenson's brickyard across Hartwell Road.

Crawford-Shirley House

This structure is one of  the most elaborate late-Victorian designs within the multiple resource area. The use of pressed metal on the interior ceilings and the detailed woodwork in the gables are unique features in architectural designs found in the Lavonia community.



The house is  significant as the home of Mack Crawford, one of  the two original owners of the nearby Lavonia Cotton Mill. The Lavonia Cotton Mill was Lavonia's third and largest historic industry.

Cromer's Mill Covered Bridge

The Cromer's Mill Covered Bridge, spanning Nails Creek near Carnesville, Georgia, was built in 1907. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.



It is a Town Lattice truss bridge. It has also been known as Nails Creek Covered Bridge.



It is located 8 miles south of Carnesville at Nails Creek.



The bridge rests on stone abutments at its ends and a central pier. A steel truss made of 12-inch steel I-beams was added under the north end of the bridge. And later a single wooden pole was installed to support one side of the bridge.


Marker now in front of bridge.

Cromer's Mill Covered Bridge was constructed in 1907 in accordance with a contract awarded by the county to James M.  Hunt whose bid of $1,623 was the lowest received. The bridge takes its name from the Cromer family who moved into Franklin County, Georgia, and settled on Nails Creek at this location in 1845.



Mr.  Will Cromer built the stone abutments on which this bridge rests and he was a descendant of the original family. The Cromer's operated a woolen mill downstream from this bridge before the Civil War.

Fisher House

This house is significant as a relatively intact example of modest late Victorian housing, and it contrasts effectively with other houses in the area to present the full range of historic housing in Lavonia.



This structure is significant due to its association with L. E. Fisher, a local merchant in the Lavonia community. Fisher worked in a general merchantile operation and later ginned cotton at the Farmers Oil Mill.

Franklin County Courthouse

Franklin County Courthouse is a historic county courthouse in Carnesville, Georgia, county seat of Franklin County, Georgia.



It was designed in a Neoclassical architecture style by Walter Chamberlain and constructed in 1906.


Carnesville residents gather outside the Franklin County courthouse around 1900. This courthouse, now razed, was built in the early 1800s.


The current courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 18, 1980. It is located in Courthouse Square.

This cream brick structure, located on a square, is built on a cross plan and has four. Doric style projecting porticoes. The columns are colossal and all have a full entablature with triglyphs and metopes and a pediment.



The domed clock tower rises from the center of the building and features clocks on the golden colored dome facing in four directions. The windows are rectangular. On the second floor, each features a transom.

Hamilton Historic District (Carnesville, Georgia)

The Hamilton Historic District, in Franklin County, Georgia near Carnesville, Georgia is located on GA 51, approximately .5 mi. NW of jct. with I-85. It is a 25 acres historic district which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.



The listing included 13 contributing buildings and three non-contributing ones.


Barn in Hamilton Historic District.


One of the two oldest homes is the Brawner-Kennedy-Hamilton House, built in the 1850s or 1860s. It is a Plantation Plain-style house with a rear kitchen extension. It was home of medical Dr. Asa W. Brawner (b.1830), who served as Franklin County's representative to the state General Assembly during the American Civil War. He was also in the Georgia State Guard "and was assigned to stay in the area and care for residents and the many young soldiers returning from the war."

Historic Churches of Canon Historic District

The Historic Churches of Canon Historic District in Canon, Georgia is 2 acres in size, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.


Can see all three churches with Methodist in foreground and Baptist to left and Universalist to right across the street.

The listing included three contributing buildings.


Methodist - Baptist - Universalist Churches.

It covers three wood-framed churches: Canon Baptist Church, Canon Universalist Church, and Canon Methodist Church.


Detailed entrances.


Sanctuary's Methodist - Baptist - Universalist.

Jones Street Residential Historic District

The Jones Street Residential Historic District in Lavonia, Georgia, is a 9 acres historic district which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.



The listing included 14 contributing buildings, all residences.

 

The Jones Street historic district is significant in terms of architecture because of its intact collection of late nineteenth and early twentieth century houses which line a major street and give this section of  the city a distinct residential neighborhood character. The cohesive character is created by the relation of house styles and types sited at uniform setbacks with continuous landscaping.



The predominance of Victorian- inspired architecture within this district represents the kind of domestic styles found in small communities in this part of  the state which were established in the late nineteenth century.

Keese House

The overall character is of plain design with Victorian-inspired detailing. The symmetrical design of the exterior is contrasted by the asymmetrical layout of  the interior.



The chimney is a unique feature in that it serves six rooms within the structure.

Kidd House (Lavonia, Georgia)

The Kidd House in Lavonia, Georgia, also known as Kidd Residence was built in 1919. It is a 1 and 1⁄2 story bungalow house with Craftsman interior details. It was designed by architect Leila Ross Wilburn.



In a survey of historic resources in Lavonia, the house with its pecan grove were found to be significant architecturally "as one of the most elaborate examples of Craftsman/Bungalow design" in the area, and also as an example of a small farmstead in the city, and also for its association with C.A. Kidd, Sr. a prominent citizen who operated a livery business in the downtown area. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Killingsworth Farm

J. S.  Killingsworth, one of  the signers of original character for the City of Lavonia, established his residence in the southeastern portion of  the city in the late 1800's.



Houses such as this, with their nearly square plans, high hipped roofs, multiple gables, wrap-around porches, and central halls give Lavonia much of its distinctive character as a turn of  the century boom town. This house is distinguished by its square cupola, one of only two such features in the multiple resource area.

Lavonia Carnegie Library

The Lavonia Carnegie Library is a historic library building at 28 Hartwell Road in Lavonia, Georgia. It was built in 1911 with funding support from Andrew Carnegie, and is the most architecturally sophisticated building in the small community. It is a single-story buff brick building with Renaissance Revival styling. Founded in 1904 to be the Lavonia public library; it was merged as a branch of the Athens Regional Library System.



The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.



In 1909 the Woman's Club petitioned Mr. Andrew Carnegie and the town officials for a building to house this library and make it more useful to the town and surrounding community. This request was granted with the following conditions: Mr. Carnegie would give $5,000 for the erection of a building if the town council would give $500 a year for 10 years for books and maintenance, and at the end of  the 10-year period the city would have complete control of  the library. The request was granted and the present Carnegie Library was constructed in 1911.

Lavonia Commercial Historic District

The Lavonia Commercial Historic District in Lavonia, Georgia, is a 16.5-acre historic district which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The listing included 18 contributing buildings.


Grogan Street.

It includes the historic commercial center of Lavonia, mostly one- and two-story brick commercial buildings.



It contains a concentration of commercial buildings which continue to define the historic town center. This effect is due to the unbroken facades of buildings of  similar scale, texture, and materials. The symmetrical arrangement of buildings reinforces the original gridiron plan.



The district is also significant for its collection of modest, turn-of-the-century brick buildings.



Much of  the original frame character of buildings in the town center was lost in 1905. In that year a fire destroyed a block of buildings on East Main with only the Lavonia Bank with its granite structure surviving.

Lavonia Cotton Mill

The Lavonia Cotton Mill was established in 1901 by Mack Crawford and Tom McCallister with 4,992 spindles making twist yarns.



Simple load-bearing brick construction with segmentally arched openings, heavy "slow burning" post and plank interior construction, low massing, and exposed rafter ends are all characteristic features of  turn-of-the-century industrial architecture in Georgia.



It reflects in part the "New South" philosophy which encouraged industrial development in small towns as well as large cities.

Lavonia Roller Mill

It began operation in 1894 when the original building was constructed.



Owned by a stockholding company, the mill had the capacity to produce 90 barrels of flour daily. The brand names of the flour were White Rose and White Lilly.



The interior of the mill burned in 1944, and following the fire, repairs were made to the original structure and several additional buildings were added.

McConnell Historic District

The McConnell Historic District, in Franklin County, Georgia near Carnesville, Georgia, is a rural crossroads community located on GA 51, approximately 2.5 mi. northwest of its junction with I-85. It is a 125 acres historic district which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. The listing included 30 contributing buildings and two contributing structures.



Significant in architecture for its historic farmhouses, outbuildings, and community buildings.



The houses represent the types of houses typically constructed as rural Georgia farmhouses from c. 1870 into the 1920s.


It includes the McConnell-Richardson-Bellamy House and out buildings.


Abandoned Plain View School. There were two equal sized rooms, referred to by the children as the "big room" for older children and the "little room" for the younger children. The school was used until 1952.

McMurray House (Lavonia, Georgia)

It breaks away from the locally common Victorian eclecticism by combining elements of the Georgian Revival and Craftsman styles.



Significant for its association with E. R. McMurray, a local merchant in the Lavonia downtown from 1900 until his death in 1947. The Yow-McMurray business which he helped to create remained a viable general mercantile enterprise in Lavonia for over 50 years.

Pure Oil Service Station (Lavonia, Georgia)

The Pure Oil Service Station in Lavonia, Georgia, located at 56 West Ave., was built in 1935 by the Wofford Oil Company, known locally as Woco Pep. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.



It is a one-story brick building with a steep roof. It was operated as a service station until the 1970s. It is an example of national service station design in a small community. The intent of  the design was to blend a commercial structure into village and residential settings through the use of domestic design elements.

Queen House

Significant as a representative example of Victorian-era house design for Lavonia, featuring a nearly square plan, high hipped roof with multiple gables, a central hall, and front and rear porches.



Built by R.  H.  Queen as his residence in 1908. Queen was a brick mason, a vocation he shared with several family members including a brother and his three sons.They were also involved in construction projects in Atlanta and assisted on the Sears and Roebuck Building.

Royston Commercial Historic District

The Royston Commercial Historic District is a historic district in Royston, Georgia which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.



The 6 acres listed area included 33 contributing buildings, which are mostly one - and two-story brick commercial structures with party walls.



It runs between north-south Church Street on the west and the Southern Railroad tracks on the east.




Among the most distinctive are the "Dorough Building (Carter Hardware), an extremely intact late Victorian structure with a fine corbeled cornice, an intact metal storefront, and a completely intact interior including a pressed metal ceiling, And the P.C. Scarboro Building, a finely-detailed, early Ford dealership with a tiled pent roof supported by prominent brackets."



In terms of community planning and development and transportation, Royston is significant as a good example in northeast Georgia of a town laid out and developed by a private individual in conjunction with the arrival of the railroad.



W. A. Royston began buying land in what is now Royston in  1855.  The real impetus for the hamlet's development did not come until the 1870s with the plans for the construction of the Elberton Air Line Railroad. He had the town laid out with its present gridiron plan. From 1875 to his death in 1891, Royston sold thirty lots in his new town.

Southern Cotton Oil Co.

The Southern Cotton Oil Company, established in 1890, is significant as Lavonia's first local industry. It reflects in part the "New South" philosophy.



Original two-story brick industrial building with metal-clad frame warehouse addition to north.



The railroad line extends along the entire east side of  the property; modern grain storage and loading facilities are to the south.

Stevenson House and Brickyard

The Stevenson House and Brickyard is significant as the first brick residence built within the multiple resource area.



It was the home of William Edgar Stevenson, a local brick maker and builder who was responsible for several brick buildings in the multiple resource area.

Stovall Homeplace

Architecturally the Stovall residence is important as one of the earliest and most elaborate examples of Victorian-inspired design within the multiple resource area.

No images found of the earliest and most elaborate.

It is also important for its association with the Stovall family. This family was prominent in the Lavonia community for almost a century. Members of  the family were instrumental in the establishment of the Baptist Church, and Sarah Stovall, a daughter of Thomas Stovall, was a teacher in the Lavonia schools for 40 years.

Stovall-Purcell House

This structure is a combination of Victorian-era design with craftsman detailing. It illustrates the evolution of architecture from Victorian Eclecticism to later Bungalow-inspired styling. This structure is the only example within the multiple resource area which combines these two styles.



Lee Stovall acquired this property from his father's larger estate. This one and one-half acre tract was literally carved out of the original 200 acre homestead.

Strange-Duncan House

The house is a good example of an early-19th century Plantation Plain type house, with two-story, one- room-deep main section with front shed porch and rear shed rooms.



It is a good example of the type of farm complex found in north Georgia and along this portion of the Old Federal Road during this period.



The house was built by Seth Strange around 1820, who became a prosperous farmer and was one of only a few farmers in the area who owned slaves.



Vandiver House

This residence was built as the residence of  S. E. Vandiver, Sr., by a local builder, Jack Grubbs, in 1922. Vandiver was involved in several business concerns involving farming.


His son, Ernest Vandiver, Jr., was Governor of Georgia from 1958 to 1963, and was raised in this home.

S. E. Vandiver Sr. was a large landowner in the Lavonia area and maintained a business office at the corner of the property.



Vandiver also developed a cotton seed, known .as  "Vandiver's Heavy", in the 1930's which proved to be an improvement on existing seed at that time.

Vickery House (Lavonia, Georgia)

The Vickery House in Lavonia, Georgia, also known as the Shirley House, is a historic house built around 1900–1905. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.



It was built for C.W. Vickery, a merchant and the founder of the Vickery Bank. Vickery's house shows the kind of unpretentious residences that were often built by local businessmen early in their careers.

Vickery Street Historic District

The Vickery Street Historic District in Lavonia, Georgia is a 23 acres historic district which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.



The listing included 34 contributing buildings.



It includes about four blocks on both sides of Vickery Street and one building on Thomas Street, mostly single-family wood-framed houses.


Also included are two churches, one commercial building, and a house built of decorative concrete blocks.


The most elaborate is the Queen Anne-style Knox-Maret-Tribble-Roberts Residence, at Vickery and Rainbow Drive. It has a three-story tower with fish-scale shingles and a conical roof, bargeboards, and a porch with decorative elements.



In local history the Vickery Street historic district is significant due to its association with prominent individuals in the Lavonia community. Some of  the individuals associated with the Vickery Street area include:

0. D. Cannon, Sr., a local merchant who resided in the present day Cannon-Coram house.
C. A. Addington, the president and organizer of  the First National Bank, who lived in the present day Addington-Conwell- Tyce house.
W. G. Welborn, who owned a local livery business and resided in the present Welborn-Sewell house.
B. H. Pulliam, a cotton buyer, who lived in the present Pulliam- Sears-Vickery-Haley-Toney house.
Dr. T. W. Freeman, a medical doctor who owned a drug store in the town center and lived in a residence which is owned by his descendants today.
Thomas A. Allison, a local merchant, an early mayor, and president of  the First Bank of Lavonia who lived in the Allison house (which later housed    a railroad agent).
G. F. Blackwell, who was in charge of  the construction of  the railroad into Lavonia.
John Stevenson, a local builder responsible for numerous structures within the resource area who lived a short time in the Young-Stevenson-Smith -Harbin-Hartzog house and later built a residence of decorative concrete block at the northern end of  the district.
Mr. and Mrs. Rush Burton, who operated a local hotel for approximately 40 years and lived in the Burton-Rogers house.

Walnut Hill Historic District (Carnesville, Georgia)

Walnut Hill Historic District in Carnesville, Georgia consists of several small farm complexes along Old Federal Road (now Georgia State Route 51) making a historic rural linear community. The oldest dates from 1850.



It includes farmhouses of types that are common for rural Georgia from c.1850 to c. 1910 and various outbuildings.



Most of the farms were small subsistence farms which grew corn, vegetables, oats, and wheat, plus some cotton as a cash crop.


The district includes the graveyard of Indian Creek Baptist Church, which was founded in 1850. Indian Creek Church was founded in 1850 as a spin-off congregation from nearby Nails Creek Church, and the church/community cemetery was started soon after. The community developed in a  linear pattern along the Old Federal Road in close proximity to the church and cemetery.



Many of the community members were of the Hamilton or Payne families. It includes a historic store and a doctor's office. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. Notable Homes:

LeCroy-Payne-Wright House, constructed c. 1850
Clarence Payne House, built c. 1910
Payne-Sewell House, built c. 1885-1886
William Payne House,  built c. 1880

West Avenue – Roberts Street Residential Historic District

The West Avenue – Roberts Street Residential Historic District in Lavonia, Georgia is a 20 acres historic district which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The listing included 23 contributing buildings (houses) and a contributing site (a city park).



The houses are mostly brick Craftsman bungalows or wood-frame Victorian cottages. The Judge Allen house at the corner of Roberts Street and Augusta Road, a one-a-half-story house, is one of the most distinguished. It has multiple gables, with dental molding in the front gable, and fanlight windows.



The West Avenue-Roberts Street Residential Historic District is  significant in terms of architecture due to its large concentration of Victorian Eclectic and Craftsman/ Bungalow architecture. The architectural design of  these structures ties this collection of houses together and creates the neighborhood character. The architecture represented includes relatively elaborate examples as well as more modest interpretations which dominate the district.



In local history the West Avenue-Roberts Street Residential Historic District is  significant due to its association with prominent citizens in Lavonia. Those of  importance who were associated with this neighborhood include:

Judge Alien, a Clerk of  the Superior Court of Franklin County.
W. N. Harrison, president of  the Northeast Georgia Bank who lived in a house still in the ownership of his family.
Dr. Riley Sewell, a dentist who had his office in the town center and lived in the Sewell house.
J. C. McDonald, a merchant who ran a store on Grogan Street and lived in the McDonald-McDaniel house.
J. B. McBrayer, who ran the Lavonia Roller Mill and lived in the Mason-McBrayer house.
Henry Sewell, a postmaster who lived in a house which was later acquired by Lavonia Manufacturing Company.

Yow House

The finest local example of early 20th century Colonial Revival architecture.



Originally built in the Victorian Eclectic style at  the turn of  the century, it was relocated and remodeled in the 1920s by an important local' builder known only as Mr. O'Kelly. This transformation reflects the breaking away from Victorian design which had dominated local architecture of  the previous decades.



The house is  significant as the home of S. B. Yow, who with E. R. McMurray founded an important general merchandise enterprise in downtown Lavonia.

Holy Cow 190 images just on the Victoria Bryant State Park, and the history and Historical Places of Franklin County. Love that we got a State Park named after some man's Momma. Love that we got a county named after Ben Franklin. Today's GNW Gals are sporting Franklin apparel.