Sasser, Georgia, has an approximate population of 250. It is situated along the Columbus Southern railway and had a population of 412 in 1930. The downtown area boasts a traditional main street thoroughfare seen in so many small towns. One building was once painted with an advertisement for Coca-Cola, and the other is Ballard’s Obelisk Flour, a Kentucky flour company that ceased operation in 1951. Their ghost signs persist today.
The Travelers Rest CME Church is just south of Montezuma, Georgia. Once completely overgrown, efforts have been made to clean up the cemetery and the brush around the building. Unfortunately, the building is likely too far gone to be preserved unless someone with very deep pockets comes forward.
The Travelers Rest CME Church was built on land deeded to it by the Travelers Rest Methodist Church in 1884. The church remained active until 1994.
The Blakely Freezer Locker was incorporated in 1945 under the leadership of H. E. Hightower, H. C. Clinkscales, H. A. Walton, C. E. Boyett, Oscar Whitchard, J. B. Jones, Sevola Jones, W. P. Smith, and F. D. Grist. The Streamline Moderne building was completed in 1946.
Blakely, Georgia, is the county seat of Early County, located between Columbus and Tallahassee. The Old School “21” Club is on the edge of downtown. Its purple facade and mural make me think of a modern-day juke joint. While the internet has slowly killed off nightclubs, places like the 21 Club are essential for community no matter the town’s size. People need a place to hang out and have a good time.
Chris “Mac Daddy” Kelly (1978–2013) was one half of the legendary ’90s rap duo Kris Kross, known for their 1992 hit “Jump.” Discovered by Jermaine Dupri at the Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta, Georgia, Chris Kelly and Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith became instant icons with their signature backward clothes. At the time, they were the youngest duo to break into hip-hop.
Unfortunately, his life was cut short in 2013 due to drug overdose. His final resting place is in Westview Cemetery.
The black-and-white image is courtesy of Wikipedia.
This Summerville residence located across from Augusta Country Club has ties to the family of Maj. Archibald Butt, an Augustan who died aboard the Titanic in 1912. Historic Augusta estimates the home’s construction around 1902, but city records indicate it was built in 1891. The property remained in the same family since the late 1930s, when Dr. G. Lombard Kelly, then Dean of the Medical College of Georgia, purchased it.
The home was put on the market and sold. Photos can be seen on Zillow.
