Tag Archives: Haralson County

Chance Grave House-Haralson County, Georgia

Some taphophiles will differentiate between grave houses and grave shelters. Grave houses look like a home (see Nadine’s playhouse), whereas grave shelters are wooden with fences and a simple roof. I don’t differentiate them. One is just a more elaborate cover than the other.

Grave houses are primarily found in the southern United States, especially those resembling a picket fence.

This grave house is located in the District Line United Methodist Church cemetery. it is the final resting place of William H. Chance (1835-1862) and Mary Chance (1835-1905.)

Parsonage-Draketown, Georgia

Based on the photos and information in the book Draketown Tragedy, I’ve identified this as the parsonage where the Stewart family lived. For the story of the tragedy, you can read more here.

Key’s Castle-Budapest, Georgia

Outside of Tallapoosa, Georgia, there was a town called Budapest, Georgia. It was founded in 1882 after a real estate developer invited Hungarian immigrants to develop this area into wine country. The area flourished until prohibition was passed in 1907. Remnants of this area still exist today (a cemetery being one of those). Key’s Castle, named this because a descendant of Francis Scott Key purchased it, started as the Catholic Rectory. The home has been purchased in recent years, and it is under a restoration process.

Budapest Cemetery-Budapest, Georgia

Haralson County

Outside of Tallapoosa, Georgia, there are small signs of a once thriving community known as Budapest. Prior to Prohibition in 1882, Hungarian immigrants moved to this part of Georgia at the request of real estate developer to build a wine-making industry. The area thrived until the onset of Prohibition. Outside of the cemetery, there is a home called Key’s Castle that exists and Estavanko Cemetery, one of the founding families.

I was introduced to this cemetery by a friend who tries to visit at least once a year to do basic cleaning. She and her friends will light candles in the memory of those early settlers.

Whites Chapel AME Church-Tallapoosa, Georgia

Haralson County

Located in Tallapoosa, Georgia, the Whites Chapel AME opened in 1907. Services ceased in the 1980s. Since this photo was taken, the church has fallen in.