Giles Hoover

Photography and design for print production

Tag: new gallery

  • New Gallery: Montezuma, Georgia

    New Gallery: Montezuma, Georgia

    Macon County, Georgia, hosts Montezuma, a railroad crossroads on the Flint River. Officially dating to 1851, it was named after the Aztec leader by soldiers returning from the Mexican-American War.

    Montezuma Sign (Crepe Myrtles), S. Dooly St.

    I’ve been meaning to stop with a camera for a while, but it’s always been a pass-through on the way elsewhere — the route from Macon to Andersonville, Americus, and all points southwest go through Montezuma — but it’s taken until now to actually stop.

    Bench Detail, Montezuma Methodist, N. Dooly St.

    Like a substantial part of rural Georgia, Montezuma has fallen on increasingly hard times; the population continues to drop1See Wiki’s article., the empty storefronts multiply, and many of the beautiful old Southern houses need some attention:

    Slight Repairs Needed, 510 S. Dooly St.

    There’s an attractive downtown, though, with old brick buildings and a wonderful historic railroad depot:

    Museum Sign, Old Railroad Depot, Dooly & E. Railroad Sts.
    Bracket Detail #1, Old Railroad Depot, Dooly & E. Railroad Sts.

    Did I mention that it’s a railroad crossing? There are two sets downtown:

    Railroad Apparatus #4, Dooly & E. Railroad Sts.

    Despite the population loss and storefronts marked “for rent,” however, all isn’t lost. There are some new businesses opening:

    Sweet Window, 127 Cherry St.

    I’ve posted 55 photographs in the new Montezuma gallery — peruse and enjoy. And, as always, thanks for stopping by.

  • New Gallery: Senoia, Georgia

    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

    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

    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.

  • New Gallery: Sparta, Georgia

    New Gallery: Sparta, Georgia

    I’ve been meaning to take a camera to Sparta for a minute now; its downtown is small yet old and photogenic in a distinctly Southern way.

    Confederate State of Hancock County

    On that subject: let’s get the elephant in the room out front and center. Sparta is 85% Black, arguably economically and socially suffering, and yet this monument stands front and center. Why?

    Neglect: “It Suits Us”
    Lightbulb Moment, 12745 Broad St.

    However, there are signs of hope. More than one building downtown is being refurbished, and there are at least a couple of businesses that are surviving — perhaps even thriving — by providing a sense of community:

    The Sparta Ishmaelite (Printing)
    Hattaway Furniture, 12755 Broad St.

    By the way, those old buildings often have beautiful cast iron details:

    Building Detail, 12699 Broad St.

    I was glad to have made the trip, and hope that you’ll be glad to take a moment and look and Sparta’s downtown in the new gallery.

    Up tomorrow: Eatonton. Thanks for stopping by.

  • New Gallery: Talbotton

    New Gallery: Talbotton

    The county seat of Talbot (Wiki) was the primary destination of our recent photostroll, another of those places that are often passed through without stopping. A small, poor town — and county — its rich history absolutely deserves a home here amongst the galleries of Georgia.

    Monroe Street Storefonts, Downtown

    Founded in 1828, Talbotton was a center of education for the area; its architectural splendor reflects a wealth no longer present. Even the later courthouse (1892) is a beautiful structure:

    Talbot County Probate Court, 26 Washington Ave.
    Talbot County Court Tower #3

    There was one structure in particular that I wanted to visit: the Zion Episcopal Church, an 1848 wooden item, painted dark brown with white shutters:

    Historic Zion Episcopal Church, Circa 1848

    Unfortunately, Georgia’s early- and mid-century legacy survives intact. From the Zion Church’s Historical Marker:

    The choir loft at the east end of the structure opposite the sanctuary, above the narthex, is flanked on each side by a gallery, where slaves worshipped prior to the conflict which many believed temporarily destroyed Southern culture.

    Georgia Historical Commission, 1955

    The church is still beautiful, it’s still beautifully preserved and maintained, and I’m glad that we can, in 2022, look at it in the historical context it deserves.1Read more about Zion Episcopal and its place in Talbotton here.

    Zion Episcopal Church (Window Detail #2)

    See the church and all of Talbotton — 34 photographs in all — in the new gallery here.

    Thanks to Gerald for a pleasant Sunday of fine photography.

    • 1
      Read more about Zion Episcopal and its place in Talbotton here. ↩︎
  • Gallery Update: Madison (Part 3)

    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)

    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.