Blake Lewis was a noted architect in Valdosta, Georgia. He designed office buildings, churches, and houses throughout South Georgia and North Florida. The House of Nine Gables is a delightful mid-century home he designed and built in 1963.
I found interior photos online.
Continuing my plan to walk Atlanta’s neighborhoods, in January, my randomizer chose NPU D, which is in northwest Atlanta near the Chattahoochee River. After doing some scouting along Google Street View, I chose Whittier Mill Village.
Whittier Mill Village was established to house workers of the Whittier Textile Mill. In 1895, Whittier Cotton Mills of Lowell, Massachusetts expanded operations to the South. Choosing Atlanta, mill houses were constructed that workers could rent for $1 per week. The village expanded in the 1920s.
Like so much manufacturing in the United States, the mill closed in the 1970s. the area gradually fell into decline. Most of the mill buildings were demolished in 1988 after arson attempts. The remains of the carpenters’ shop and the mill tower still stand, so if you are looking for brick ruins, head here.
One of my goals this year is to walk more. I knew walking in my own neighborhood would feel boring, so I decided to make it more interesting by exploring different parts of Atlanta, not just the usual spots like Midtown or Grant Park. My plan was to randomly choose neighborhoods within the city’s Neighborhood Planning Units (NPUs).
In 1974, Mayor Maynard Jackson created NPUs to give Atlantans greater local control, especially those who lived in historically disenfranchised areas. Today, there are 25 NPUs, labeled A through Z (No U).
For my first walk, the random selection landed on NPU Z, located in Southwest Atlanta. After checking Google Street View, I chose the Lakewood neighborhood, which is the largest in NPU Z.
Lakewood sits south of Lakewood Heights, which is the neighborhood more people know. Some of its streets include McWilliams Rd., Burroughs Ave., Jernigan Dr., Thaxton Dr., and the southern stretch of Browns Mill Rd. The neighborhood was largely developed in the 1950s, though a few homes date back to the late 1800s. Browns Mill Park Baptist Church first appeared in local newspapers in the early 1950s.
Located on Main Street in Gibson, Georgia, this is one of my favorite houses in Glascock County. Brian Brown identified it as the Kelley House.
A Japanese pagoda–style ranch built in 1962 by contractor Fred Lee Hylick is located in the historic Collier Heights, one of the first upscale communities in the nation built exclusively by Black planners, architects, and construction companies. Hylick advertised himself as “The House Surgeon for Home Modernization.”
Thanks to Archive Atlanta for introducing me to this great house.
Driving down East Main Street from downtown, there aren’t many homes left from the early days of Spartanburg. Located near Converse College (now University) is the family home of Dr. Hugh Ratchford and Mary Snoddy Black. Growing up in Spartanburg, everyone knew the Black family name because of Mary Black Hospital, the hospital that Dr. Black and his sons (also doctors) founded and named after Mrs. Black.
This 1917 Craftsman was home to several generations of the Black family. It is no longer a family residence; it is now used commercially.
