Tag Archives: Toccoa

-Georgia, Hotels and Motels, Signs

Lone Oak Motel in Toccoa, Georgia was the Final Home of R&B singer Dee Clark

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The Lone Oak Motel is an abandoned motel outside of Toccoa, Georgia. Built in 1941, it seems to have been in use until 2021. Tax records indicate it was sold in 2024, so its future is unknown. It could be restored, demolished, or continue to languish.

When I researched the motel’s history, I found out it was the final home of the singer Delecta “Dee” Clark (1938-1990), who sang the 1961 hit “Raindrops.” The song reached number 2 on the Hot 100 chart. You can hear the song here.

One of the things I love researching is unexpected or hidden stories. When I found the article about Dee’s death, I did some research about him and found that he had an interracial cover in 1961. If any music history people know more about this cover, please share.

-Georgia, Houses, National Register of Historic Places

Riverside-Stephens County, Georgia

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Built in 1857, Riverside sits high on a hill overlooking the Tugaloo River in Stephens County, Georgia. The homestead has been in the Prather family since its inception. The Greek Revival structure is part of a larger piece of plantation land that still had several extant structures according to the 1982 National Register of Historic Places application.

According to the NRHP application, the Prathers used enslaved labor to farm their land. According to the 1860 Slave Census, the Prathers enslaved at least fifty people. For the 1850 census in South Carolina, it shows there were at least 45. It is safe to assume that the house was built by enslaved labor.