636 North Wilkinson Street (House), Milledgeville

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA,5-MILG,13. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The house at 636 North Wilkinson Street is a representative example of early-to-mid-twentieth century worker's housing in an African-American Milledgeville neighborhood. The vicinity developed in response to both the coming of the railroad in the late-1800s and to turn-of-the-century business and industrial growth nearby. Description: The house at 636 North Wilkinson Street is a one-story, front- gable dwelling with a hail-parlor floor plan and a full-facade hipped front porch. The original portion of the house (not including the front porch) measures in depth by in width and consists of four rooms. There is a shed extension to the rear housing the kitchen and bathroom; this could be either an addition or an infilled porch.

All original windows are six-over-six double- hung sash; there are also three nonhistoric windows in the shed extension. The house rests on a concrete block foundation, which is not original, and the roof material is raised seam metal. The exterior of the dwelling is sided with weatherboard, which appears original. The interior exhibits its original floor plan, though ceilings and walls may have been altered. History: The subject house was apparently either constructed circa by an unknown builder or moved to its present location. The building does not appear on the Sanborn Fire Insurance Map and its appearance suggests a construction date of perhaps to Gertrude Young White owned the property until her death in Her estate, under the executorship of Robert C. Hawkins, now owns the property.

The Milledgeville City Directory lists Sinie M. Pitts, a maid, as the resident at that time. The City Directory lists LF. Lamar and Joseph Pruitt as residents. The present occupant is Leonard Marshall, Jr. 636 NORTH WILKINSON STREET (House) HABS No. GA-2250 (Page 2) The subject property is located in a historically black working class neighborhood located just north of the Baldwin County Courthouse and Georgia College. The existence of this neighborhood can be attributed to several events, the first being the arrival of the Georgia Railroad in the late-nineteenth century. The railroad was constructed just two blocks north of the 600 block of North Wilkinson Street and the depot was located three blocks to the east.

An industrial district developed in the vicinity of the railroad and provided employment opportunities for many blacks. From the to the post-Second World War era, the neighborhood experienced considerable growth as industry expanded. Milledgeville Ice Works, Milledgeville Cottonseed Oil Company and Mills, The Cook Lumber Company, Fowler-Flimister Coal Company, Oconee Clay Products Company, and the Georgia Railroad Power Company are just some of the businesses that developed near the railroad. Milledgeville's black business district, which, like the railroad and industrial area, provides nearby economic opportunities, is located to the east of the Baldwin County Courthouse.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA,5-MILG,13. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

African-American History File. Georgia College Library, Special Collections, Milledgeville, Georgia. Baldwin County Deed Records, Baldwin County Courthouse, Milledgeville, Georgia. Baldwin County Tax Records, Baldwin County Offices, Milledgeville, Georgia. Black Heritage Tourism File. Milledgeville/Baldwin County Tourism and Trade Department, 200 West Hancock Street, Milledgeville, Georgia. Campbell, Paul, telephone interview, 1 February Milledgeville, Georgia. Campbell, Paul. "City of Milledgeville Community Development Block Grant." Unpublished paper, Georgia College, Milledgeville, Georgia. Dexter, Pete. Paris Trout. New York: Random House, 636 NORTH WILKINSON STREET (House) HABS No.

GA-2250 (Page 3) Milledgevilie City Directory, and Located in Georgia College Library, Special Collections, Milledgevilie, Georgia. Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps for Milledgevilie, Georgia, Located in Georgia College Library, Special Collections, Milledgevilie, Georgia. Watkins, Rodney, State Historic Preservation Office, telephone interview, 2 February Atlanta, Georgia.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA,5-MILG,13. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Prepared by: John A. Kissane Leslie N. Sharp The Jaeger Company 119 Washington Street Gainesville, GA February 636 NORTH WILKINSON STREET (House) HABS No. GA-2250 (Page 4) 4 February Steve Weinmann Jane Wall 636 NORTH WILKINSON STREET (House) HABS No. GA-2250 (Page-5) CITY OF MILLEDGEV1LLE PROGRAM CHARLTON/WILKINSON IMPACT AREA