New Gallery: Senoia, Georgia

After leaving Zebulon (see below) last Thursday, I continued northeast into the beautiful spring morning. My destination was Senoia, a town of about 5,000 that has a lovely, old-time feel, and is usually busy due to its “touristy” nature. There’s a film studio (!), and major productions like Driving Miss Daisy and The Walking Dead have used it for a location. Plus, given its proximity to Atlanta, it’s a popular day trip for city dwellers looking for a getaway.

Gerald and I were there last April, and while I had a camera with me, I only took a few photographs and didn’t like any of them. But a church window had stuck in my head, we enjoyed the visit, and I determined to return.

This time: success. Starting with that church window:

Church of God of Prophesy (Window #1), Main and Johnson Sts.

Elsewhere in the historic district, fantastic Southern porches await:

The Veranda Historic Inn, 252 Seavy St.

While amongst the dogwood blossoms, there was even a porch for our feathered friends:

Bird House, 128 Travis St.

But it’s downtown that folks come to visit:

Shops and Eats on the Hill (#2), Main St.
Book Light (Reflecting Tour), 53 Main St.
Giraffe at Foxhollow, 7 Main St.
The Classic Market, 30 Barnes St.

Plenty of history here, too:

The Museum and the Water Tower (From Baggarly Way)
Light and Lights Detail, 61 Main St.

A total of 57 photographs — clearly, it was a good time — have been posted to the Senoia gallery. No matter the weather where you are, wander a picturesque small town on a beautiful spring day.

Thank you!

New Gallery: Zebulon, Georgia

We’re having an absolutely beautiful March here in Georgia — apologies to places that absolutely aren’t — and I’ve been trying to take advantage by getting out and taking photographs.

The latest photostroll starts in the small town (pop. 1225) of Zebulon1Named for Zebulon Pike, the general and explorer (for whom Colorado’s Pike’s Peak is named, among other things), in Pike County, northwest of Macon, with the typical courthouse square:

Pike County Courthouse, Barnesville St.

The building, from 1895 and on the National Register of Historic Places, is wonderfully detailed, sporting columns aplenty and lots of Colonial Revival details:

Pike County Courthouse (Column Detail #1)
Courthouse Square Composition, Barnesville and Thomaston

The small downtown is well-kept and bustling in a way that small downtowns should be:

Barnesville St. Storefonts, Zebulon

Better still, spring is in full bloom:

Garden Gate in Spring (#2)

Enjoy the 25 posted photographs from Zebulon — and stay tuned for the main destination of the trip: Senoia. Have a good weekend!

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    Named for Zebulon Pike, the general and explorer (for whom Colorado’s Pike’s Peak is named, among other things)

New Gallery: Eatonton, Georgia

Confession: For the last several years, I’ve been avoiding Eatonton. Its four-lane bypass is notorious as a revenue generator for Putnam County, so when heading north to Madison or Athens I have been taking the prettier Monticello route instead.

My mistake. In almost twenty years of living less than fifty miles from this gem — and perhaps because of that bypass — I’d not explored downtown. It’s definitely earned another visit.

Residence Above Maggie Lane (Mind Your Step)
Putnam County Courthouse (Tree)

I also wasn’t aware that Alice Walker (The Color Purple) and Joel Harris (Uncle Remus) were locals — the latter explaining the prevalence of rabbits hopping about:

Rabbit (Paper Jeff)

Interesting art, too:

The FolksArt, 119 S. Jefferson
Selz (The “Sole” of Honor), 107 N. Madison

Please enjoy the 30 photographs posted — and stay tuned: I’ll try to travel the Historic Piedmont Scenic Byway again soon.

Gallery Update: Jackson, Georgia

Spring is beginning to blossom here in Middle Georgia, which means it’s time to restart the traditional Sunday drive and photostroll. This week’s destination was the small city of Jackson, seat of Butts County, and home to a typically pretty downtown square:

Jackson Historic Square (20 Oak St.)

The courthouse, as is often the case in Georgia, takes center stage:

Confederate Butts Forever
“Dream,” Not Necessarily Reflected

No, I usually don’t make political commentary. Why do you ask?

Anyway, there are several examples of my architectural studies, including these:

Butts County Courthouse Tower (B&W Study)
Smoking Column Detail, 10 3rd St.

I didn’t realize that Jackson was the filming location for Stranger Things — a stand-in for Hawkins, Indiana:

Jackson is Hawkins (Police)

Check out the full gallery for Jackson, including yesterday’s photographs and those from last year, which include some from nearby Jackson Lake, in the updated gallery.

Gallery Update: Dublin

Named for the city in Ireland, Dublin in Georgia is an hour or so southeast of Macon. It’s my third trip there, and, like last time, I enjoyed Gerald’s company.1He seemed to enjoy the trip, rain notwithstanding, but apparently the creative juices didn’t flow. (Sorry, man.) Details here.

It has a photogenic downtown, too:

Corker (of a) Building, W. Jackson St.
Fountain and Holiday Tree, N. Monroe St. and Bellevue Ave.

The Welcome Park includes a clock and bell complete with clover, reminding visitors that the name is, in fact, a tribute:

Dublin Welcome Tower #1

As has become typical, my favorite — “best” is debatable, of course — shot is a close-up that’s almost an abstract. In this case, a turquoise box car in the appropriately-named Railroad Park:

Pull Down for Camel, Dublin Railraod Park

Just off the main drag we found an item thankfully not yet painted over:

Aqua Fox, Jefferson and Madison

. . . Which may, in fact, be a holdover from a bygone era. In fact, I’d be remiss if I didn’t call this subject out:

Laurens and Dublin Mural (No Biases Shown), S. Lawrence St.

The only people of color depicted here are Native Americans, relegated to viewing (probably from afar), and two Blacks, very much shown “in their place.” (Dublin still prominently features a Confederate memorial, as well.) Let’s hope that this small city continues its journey into the 21st century, one step at a time.

See the updated gallery here. As always, once in the gallery, click on any photograph to start a slide show.

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    He seemed to enjoy the trip, rain notwithstanding, but apparently the creative juices didn’t flow. (Sorry, man.) Details here.

Updated Gallery: Milledgeville

The small city of Milledgeville, on the banks of the Oconee River in nearby Baldwin County, is a favorite for photography. In this case, Gerald and I stopped on our way home from Sandersville, and spent some time wandering the historic district.

Aged Signage, 101 W. Mcintosh St., Circa 1911
Fall Color, First Presbyterian Church (#1), S. Wayne St.
(Extended) Weathervane, Old Courthouse Building, 201 W. Hancock St.

I especially liked this gate:

Gate and Stairs (Going Up), 129 S. Wayne St.

We were these the day after (part of) the Deep Roots Festival, which meant some street decorations lingered:

Deep Roots Festival Balloons, S. Wayne St.

Oh, and happy Halloween:

Happily Haunted Window, S. Wayne St.

See all my photographs from Milledgeville in the updated gallery. Thank you for visiting. See you in November!

Updated Gallery: Sandersville

As promised yesterday, there’s more from Sandersville. This time, the City Cemetery, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

Sandersville’s City Cemetery National Register Sign

Some beautiful statuary within:

Not all of the plots are marked with statuary, but some have beautiful markers.

Sandersville the site of a skirmish on Sherman’s March to the Sea, and according to the official history, probably took place in the cemetery grounds itself.

A plot marker in marble, together with the U.S. and Georgia flags.
The St. Paul AME Church, seen through the fall foliage.
Long-leaf pine is typical of this area, and provides some lovely shade.

An enjoyable time on a beautiful fall day. See all of the photographs from Sandersville in the updated gallery here.

New Gallery: Sandersville, Georgia

Sandersville, seat of Washington County, was the photography destination this past weekend. Gerald and I wanted to get out and enjoy this beautiful stretch of fall weather, and this small city — with its National Register-listed cemetery (more on that tomorrow) — hadn’t yet been explored.

Dr. Gate, W. Haynes St.

There was a pleasant little park off what I’m calling Courthouse Square (it doesn’t seem to actually be named that):

Park Arch, S. Harris St.
Park in the Square, S. Harris St.

The Washington County Courthouse is a beautiful and historic building, like many here in Georgia:

Washington County Courthouse #3

Can’t close without a plug for the home team:

Drink Coke, Get Waves

See all of the photographs from Sandersville in the new gallery, and stay tuned for more tomorrow. Thanks!

See also: Gerald’s journal post on the trip.

Gallery Updates: Andersonville and Americus, Georgia

Last weekend, Gerald and I took a summer road trip and photostroll through southwest Georgia — with stops in Andersonville and Americus.

Andersonville is a sobering place: “The deadliest ground of the American Civil War.” Further:

Nearly 13,000 men died on these grounds, a site that became infamous even before the Civil War ended. Their burial grounds became Andersonville National Cemetery, where veterans continue to be buried today. This place, where tens of thousands suffered captivity so others could be free, is also home to the National Prisoner of War Museum and serves as a memorial to all American prisoners of war.

National Park Service

We just visited the National Cemetery section of the park, with its closely-spaced Civil War graves, memorials, and reminders that it’s still in use today.

Bench and Garden, Andersonville National Cemetery Rostrum
Stalag XVII Memorial Detail (WWII), Andersonville National Cemetery
Maine Civil War Memorial Statue (Photo #2) Amongst Graves, Andersonville National Cemetery
Illinois Civil War Memorial (Detail #2), Andersonville National Cemetery

Later, we headed just down the road to the small city of Americus:

Wall Painting Detail #1, Sweet Georgia Bakery and Cafe, 134 W. Lamar St., Americus
City Municipal Building and Windsor Hotel, W. Lamar St., Americus
Window Arch #2, 106 W. Lamar St., Americus

Both galleries — Andersonville and Americus — have been updated with new photographs. The new items start with “2022,” and remember that clicking on any photograph starts a slide show for that gallery. Thank you!

Gallery Update: Madison (Part 3)

As promised, I returned to Madison, Georgia, to complete the gallery my camera battery didn’t permit last time. Special thanks to Gerald, who accompanied me around the beautiful downtown historic district and on the lovely drive from here to there.

This round is mostly details, taken with my stunning new Leica APO lens. (Introduced in this Macon post.) The whole line has been discontinued, so I am incredibly glad to have gotten one while they’re still available — every single photograph shows just how good this lens is. I’ll try to do it justice:

Morgan County Courthouse #6
Light Detail, 131 E. Jefferson St.
Madison Welcome Center, Madison Square
Flower Detail, Organic Market
Building and Light Detail #2, W. Washington St.
Hart & Crown Sign, Madison Square

I’ve revamped the gallery with the new shots mixed in with the old. Several are improved versions of shots taken last time, meaning those were deleted in favor of the new ones.

132 Madison photographs have been posted in all. Peruse and enjoy; remember to click on any individual photograph to start a slide show, and if you’d like, click “buy” to get options for fine art prints in a variety of sizes and finishes. Thank you!

See also: Madison Part One and Part Two.

New Gallery: Madison (Part 2)

Continued from Part 1, below.

According to Southern Living magazine, “In Madison, Georgia, you can witness the power of tireless historic preservation efforts and take in the glory of old Southern architecture — from Greek Revival to Victorian, this town showcases all the great architectural styles.” (Read their day trip advice.)

DAR Statue and Morgan County Courthouse, Downtown

It’s certainly worth taking some time to visit — and for this guy and his camera, the restaurants, shops, stroll-worthy streets, and simply spectacular historic district represent a great opportunity to add to the treasure trove of Georgia architectural photography.

Building Detail #2, Madison Welcome Center, E. Jefferson St.
Building Detail #1, The James Madison Inn
Gazebo and Stage, Madison Town Park
Metallic Sculpture, Madison Town Park
Train and Silos, Madison

A total of 90 (!) photographs have been posted to the new Madison gallery. Once there, click on any photo to enlarge or start a slide show.

I’m not done, either: I had two lenses with me, but only one battery — which gave out before I could make a round downtown with the second lens. I’ve got another trip through the area scheduled, and will absolutely make the time to return, camera in-hand, to complete the gallery. Stay tuned.

New Gallery: Madison, Georgia (Part 1)

The past couple of days represented a much-needed break from the recent heat wave — an opportunity to get out of the house and celebrate a stunning morning with camera in-hand.

I pass through Madison regularly (it’s along the route from Macon to Athens), and have been meaning to stop and take some photographs for literally years. Today, the first of two parts this week, with more to come soon.

We start at the Madison Morgan Cultural Center and loop through the historic district — and its many, frankly stunning buildings — south of downtown:

Madison Morgan Cultural Center (Detail #4)
507 S. Main Street #1
411 Old Post Road #1
413 S. Main Street, Photographed from Old Post Road

There are a few detail shots mixed in, too, like this one from the Presbyterian Church:

Madison Presbyterian Church (Door Detail)

See the first 34 photographs in the new gallery. (Remember to double-click on a photograph to see larger.) Next time, downtown. Happy Monday!

Updated Galleries: Macon Downtown x3, Automotive

FedEx pulled up around 8:30 this morning and dropped off a new lens. (It wasn’t due ’til Tuesday — bonus!) Given that it was an absolutely beautiful morning, I shelved my plans for the day, picked up the camera, and headed downtown.

Verdict? It’s so a keeper. See for yourself:

Catholic Cross, St. Joseph’s, Macon
Purple Hydrangea, St. Joseph’s, Macon
(Funeral) Chapel, New St., Macon
552 New St. (Brick Detail), Macon
Public Art (Detail #1), D T Walton Sr Way, Macon
Tree and City Auditorium, Macon

Wound up with sixty new items posted. However, the downtown Macon gallery was getting almost too big — confusing, even — so has been separated into three parts:

One more thing: Four photographs have been added to the Automotive gallery, including this rare Mitsubishi Lancer Evo:

Macon Lancer Evo (Wheel Detail)

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

Updated Gallery: Columbus, Georgia

Gerald and I were in Columbus, Georgia, today, which included a delicious lunch at The Black Cow — no word whether the name is related to the Steely Dan song — and which meant a few photographs:

United States Post Office and Court House (Eagle Detail), Columbus, Georgia

One of several of the Post Office and Court House (the header photograph is that building, too), along with a few others from downtown:

Lamp and Buildings, Downtown Columbus, Georgia
Arches, Planes, and Sky, Downtown Columbus, Georgia
Tower and Spire, Downtown Columbus, Georgia

Columbus is really well covered in its dedicated gallery: check it out. The majority of today’s photographs, however, were from the Columbus Museum; those will be posted Monday. Stay tuned.

Updated Gallery: Franklin Delano Roosevelt State Park, Pine Mountain

As I mentioned yesterday, Gerald and I enjoyed a lovely first-of-spring drive out of middle Georgia. Our destination was Pine Mountain, home of F. D. Roosevelt State Park. Needless to say, there were cameras involved.

Starting on Dowdell Knob, FDR’s favorite picnic spot — with its amazing valley overlook:

Roosevelt’s Grill With a View, Dowdell Knob

Next was the park’s office and overlook complex:

FDR State Park Office (B&W Study), Pine Mountain
Stone, Shutters, and Stars and Stripes
FDR State Park Overlook: Rocks

Peruse the entire gallery here. And when you have some extra time, all of FDR State Park is worth a visit; it’s got everything from hiking trails to cabins to the Callaway Gardens Country Kitchen in its 9049 acres. Enjoy!

Bonus: Georgia Public Broadcasting, at the premier of its film A President in Our Midst: Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Georgia, said:

Franklin Delano Roosevelt had a very special relationship with the State of Georgia. This compelling documentary spotlights the mutual benefits that the friendship provided to both the president and the people of Georgia. The film is based on the book, A President in Our Midst: Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Georgia.

It’s no Ken Burns, certainly, but if you’re not familiar with FDR’s extensive time spent in west Georgia, it might be worth your time. See it here.

Bonus gallery: Callaway Gardens, from 2008.