Dorch Store, North side of Branch Road, east of Roe Street, Stockton

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA,87-STOCK,2-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

This is one of two historic stores remaining in Stockton and the only historic frame store in town. It is also the only store which faces the railroad tracks and not U.S. 84. It is significant as a representative example of small-scale commercial architecture. Description: This front gable, frame store has a three-bay symmetrical facade with central double doors made of narrow beaded boards. The doors are flanked by tall, single pane windows. There are no windows or doors on the side elevations. In the rear is a single door and window. In the front gable apex, is a set of double doors constructed of diagonal boards. The building is clad with drop or novelty siding and is set on concrete blocks with a composition shingle roof.

There is a shed roof shelter to the rear supported by concrete blocks on the north side. The side elevations of the addition have no walls. The interior of the building is one room with narrow beaded board walls and ceiling. There is also a one-room shed to the east side of the building. It is clad with drop siding and set on concrete blocks with a front gable roof. There is a set of off-center double doors on the main fa~ade. History: This building was probably constructed around Judging from its unaltered interior, it probably served as store for most of its existence. It is currently being used for storage.

Stockton is located in Lanier County, Georgia which was carved from parts of Lowndes, Berrien, and Clinch Counties in This small, rural community was entirely within Clinch County prior to this. Although the Savannah, Albany & Gulf Railroad opened in this area in Johnson's Map of Georgia and Alabama and Butts' map of Georgia show no town at this site. Gray's New Map of Georgia published in however, does include Stockton along the railroad line dating the town's formation to sometime between 1871and1877. Nearly all of the remaining historic buildings in the town date from the early to mid-twentieth century and face U.S. Highway 84 and not the railroad suggesting that the automobile was a fundamental source of development for this community.

The highway was probably cut through the area in the early twentieth century and more or less parallels the railroad across the state. The road is not evident on late nineteenth century maps, but is clearly visible on highway maps by The Auto Trails Map of Georgia lists it as state road 38 and approximates Stockton's population to be DORCH STORE HABS No. GA - (Page 2)

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA,87-STOCK,2-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Butts, A.G. Butts County Map of the State of Georgia. Macon, Cram, George T. Cram 's Road and County Map of Georgia. Daughters of the American Revolution History of Lowndes County, Georgia, Macon, Gibson, Jim Old Times There are Not Forgotten: A Story in Picture and Words of the People of Lanier County, no date. Goodrich Co. Goodrich Road Map of Georgia and Alabama. Gray, Frank A. Gray's New Map of Georgia, Rand McNally & Co. Auto Trails Map of Georgia. Chicago,

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA,87-STOCK,2-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Jennifer Langdale New South Associates, Inc. East Ponce de Leon Avenue Stone Mountain, Georgia January DORCH STORE HABS No. GA - (Page 3) (Not to Scale) <lJ <lJ '- V1 <lJ 0 CJ(shed) * Commercial Building (non-contributing building) Branch Road I 111 t It f \ !I I I DORCH STORE HABS No. GA - (Page 4) . v v,_ . V'\ v 0 c:: 4 Branch Road Lh (Not to Scale)