The Fall of the House of Stevens-Snider

Encompassed by venerable pecan and oak trees sits a house that must have been quite grand in its time. Architecturally, it would be classified as a vernacular farmhouse; however, the house would fit right in any Southern historic district of a city. From my research, I've determined the house was built circa 1910 and it is located between Buena Vista, Georgia and Ellaville, Georgia. Additionally, a local resident of the area has informed me that the house has been abandoned for thirty years or more and has not had any work done to it in ten years time.

I have been taking notice of the the Stevens-Snider house for over twenty years, and at one time, I hoped it might have been restored. However, since 2005 it has fallen in ill repair. The roof was no longer a suitable protector of the house beginning around 2010, and by 2012 the roof shingles were starting to come off. It wasn't long before more and more exposed wood became quite prominent leading to rot of the structure. It is now 2016 and so much wood has rotted that the second floor is now collapsing into the first floor.

The house appears to be rapidly returning declining, so if you would like to visit it, I suggest you do so as soon as possible. However, I advise against entering the home because it is private property, and structurally unsafe.

The house in 2010. 

I do not own this image and will remove it by request.

The house in 2012.

The house in 2016.

If you are traveling along Highway 26 from Buena Vista to Ellaville, the house is located on the left side of the highway right after the intersection of Highway 26 and Highway 112. It is about halfway between Buena Vista and Ellaville.

Antique Columbus, GA Postcards - Correspondence Between Two Sisters From 1909

Yesterday I went to a parking lot sale at The Gypsy Cherub antique store in what used to be Bibb City, GA (now part of Columbus). I saw some old Columbus postcards being advertised on Facebook, so I went down there early to make sure they were still there. And boy did Yvonne still have them! Postcards from Columbus, Americus, Atlanta, and all over Georgia with Alabama and Florida hiding in there as well.

Well, when I was looking through the postcards, I was mostly looking for familiar landmarks and landscapes of Columbus that held sentimental value, or at least offered artistic or historical value. However, after getting home and looking through them all, I discovered the true value was actually Dovie Smith and Elizabeth Smith - two sisters that corresponded via Columbus, GA postcards in the summer and fall of 1909.

I have taken the liberty of scanning both back and front of the postcards, as well as transcribing what is written on the postcards for easier reading. In addition, I have placed the cards in chronological order of correspondence. This required me finding a calendar from 1909, as two of the postcards are postmarked on the same day. I tried to leave the grammar and punctuation as accurate as possible.

I just wonder who were Miss Dovie Smith and Miss Elizabeth Smith? What was there story? I hope to further research these two women and possibly find more of their wonderful postcards. 

Postcard #1

Beech Grove, North Highlands Park, Columbus, GA.

To: Miss Dovie Smith
From: Miss Elizabeth Smith

"Chipley, GA 8/9/09

Dear Dovie, 
I reached here alright and am still at Aunt Nannies. We went to a singing yesterday afternoon and stayed until train time and we then went up to White S Springs and came back on the night train, had a very nice time. 
                                                   E. Smith"

Postcard #2

Chattahoochee Rapids, North Highlands Park, Columbus, GA

To: Miss Dovie Smith
From: Miss Elizabeth Smith

"Chipley, GA 8/13/09

Dear Dovie, 
How are you all getting along by this time I am at Jennies Williams have been here since Wednesday morning am going back to Chipley in the morning and (Gene?) and I are going Aunt Ellen's to spend Saturday night and Sunday. Will see you all soon.
                                                                 E. Smith"

Postcard #3

Eagle and Phenix (Phoenix) Mills, Columbus, GA

To: Miss Dovie Smith
From: Miss Elizabeth Smith

"Monday Morning
Well, I came out here at Uncle Pinkes Saturday afternoon and I guess I will stay a day or two. They are running the meeting at Beech Springs this week. I expect I will be home before long but don't know exactly when so you need not look for me until you see me. 
                                                                                                   E. S.

Postcard #4

 Lower Broad St. showing Confederate Monument, Golumbus, GA

(Broad Street is now known as Broadway)

To: Miss Lizzie (Elizabeth) Smith
From: Miss Dovie Smith

"Dear Sister: -
Received your postal Saturday, and we were glad to hear from you and that you are having such a nice time. I wrote you last week, thought you were still at Jennies. Love to all,
                                                                                                           "Dovie".

Bonus - Postcard #5

Wildwood Park, Columbus, GA

(I don't believe Wildwood Park still has ponds.)

To: Miss Dovie Smith

From: C. R.

"I received your card Monday would of answered sooner but didn't have any cards. I may be over at the (Jens?) (Gens?) Thursday night if nothing happens. hope to see you.

                                                                                  your friend C. R."

Paramount Turns 100!

In honor  of Paramount's 100th Anniversary, they released their new logo today.  Hard to believe that an entertainment company is turning 100. Have films really been around that long? Seems like only a few years ago I saw all those Paramount 75th anniversary logos, and the 90th anniversary logos all over those VHS tapes that I used to watch so much.

Yes, Virgina, we are all getting older.

 

Here is a video of Paramount's logo history.

What is going to happen next that is going to make us do a double take and think "OMG has it really been that long? It seems like just a few years ago..."