My husband and I spent the better part of last week with my family in a small town about 2 hours south of Atlanta, Georgia. The occasion for our trip was not a happy one; we were there to attend the memorial for my uncle who passed away suddenly and under tragic circumstances last Monday.
We spent our time there visiting with distant relatives, giving away lots of hugs, and eating ridiculous amounts of food brought over to my aunt’s by anybody and everybody in town. We grieved our loss together, and spent time sharing memories of our father, brother, husband, son, and uncle. It was very sad, but healing at the same time.
The little town where my family all lives is called Hawkinsville, and it is where I spent my summers and holidays. My aunt and uncle have one son who is a year older than me, so we were playmates during my family’s visits.
He and I spent countless hours climbing the big magnolia tree in my grandmother’s side yard, making mud pies, and playing with the old circus toy set tucked away in my grandmother’s closet.
The Georgia of my childhood memories is a magical place, and my uncle was a big part of that magic. He loved music and to play guitar, and he would always call me “Mel Mel”. It feels like some of that childhood magic left with him; I don’t think visiting there will ever feel quite the same.
While there, I remarked to my husband that I didn’t have any memory of ever visiting in the springtime. The landscape was so much more beautiful than I knew it could be.
Everywhere I looked there were blooms–purple wisteria, pink azaleas, white bridal wreath bushes–all framed in soft lines by streams of moss hanging from the tall pines. You know you’re in the deep south when you see moss like that!
My own little suburban world here north of Dallas is all new and really quite sterile. It was refreshing while down in Georgia to be around so much that was old.
Hawkinsville has many beautiful historic homes, some restored to their former beauty and others turning into mere skeletons of their past. But they all have something that I can’t find in my hometown, which is character.
The long, front porches where people do really still sit and talk,
stretches of land with plenty of room for kids to roam and flowers to grow,
and tall trees that frame the lots, offering that much-needed shade once summertime comes.
This one is right around the corner from my mom’s house, and has been fully restored. It was falling apart when I was a kid though and my cousin always referred to it as “The Spook House”.
Imagine it with peeling paint, broken windows, and overgrown bushes and you may can see why it earned that name.
Here is another home not far from my mom’s. It’s a work in progress that I think is just about finished. The backyard is loaded with architectural salvage that appears to be living a new life as landscaping features.
Of all the houses I saw though, the junk lover in me was most intrigued by this one:
This is another site I would never see here in my town . . . My mom said this stuff has been out here for quite awhile! There was so much there I could have taken off with me, and I’m pretty sure more treasures were buried in that dumpster.
I don’t think the airlines would have let me check boxes of junk on my flight back home though. It’s so hard to pass up good junk.
I am thankful for our few days in Georgia with all of my family, even under the circumstances. The days we spent there were a reminder that a slower pace, more simple life does still exist.
There are still places where people drop in unannounced just to “visit,” and where you see families walking down the street to Dairy Queen on a Friday night.
There are still places where there is a deeper sense of place and history, where even the street signs have a unique character. I miss it, really, and long to spend more time there with my own children so that they can experience some of those things too.
I’m so very sad that they won’t get the opportunity to get to know my uncle. I am so thankful though for the memories I have of time spent with him and his family.
And I am eternally thankful to know that he was a follower of Jesus and is now resting in Heaven with the Father. Thank you for letting me share a few of those memories with you, and for coming along on a brief tour of a small town in the deep south.
Linking up to:
Fridays Unfolded, Be Inspired @ Common Ground, Feathered Nest Friday,
What Have you Redone Friday?, History & Home Link Party, Project Inspired
I’m so glad that you can look at what good memories you have of your uncle Melanie. The place may be different without him there, but hold onto those memories dear to your heart. No one can ever take those away. Again, I am sorry for your loss.
Sheila
Thank you Sheila, such sweet words you share. I so appreciate it, and thank you for living a little bit of it with me through reading this post 🙂
I grew up in Perry,Ga and we would drive through Hawkinsville going to Fitzgerald. I always remember the big Georgia mansions that dotted Hawkinsville. I had an opportunity to drive through there again while visiting for a class reunion in Perry. Hawkinsville has evolved and is more beautiful than I had remembered and they have a horse racing track that looks very impressive. I do love my visits as well to my childhood home. Thank you for the very interesting write up on Hawkinsville. I knew the Sylvester family!
Hi Ron. Yes, the horse track is up and running and actually was hosting the Harness Festival horse races while I was in town last weekend. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post and that you have your own fond memories of small town Georgia.
I loved your piece on Hawkinsville. I live just up the road in Warner Robins but my family came from the Cochran and Hawkinsville area. I spent time there growing up too! I love going there to visit still and will be doing photography runs this year too! Thanks for capturing the essence of Georgia! I love living here and am proud to be a Georgian!
What beautiful homes and land! Fun to relive the old memories, I’m sure. Thanks for sharing at Fridays Unfolded!
Alison
Nancherrow
Thank you Alison. I’m so glad I took some time to walk around and take some pictures, wondering why I have never done it before!
Thank you for sharing as I am also from Hawkinsville, I only wish my child could experience the life I had growing up in a small town
Hi Ben! Thank you so much for coming by. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post and the pictures. I wish too that my children could experience a more relaxed, small town lifestyle.
That was so heartwrenching because i to am originally from hawkinsvilleand spent my childhood summers with my grandparents and have lost alot of family from their but i always try to remember the many great memories i shared on long hot summer days there.
Hi Casey. It is so sweet to think about our times as children. I hope special places like Hawkinsville continue to exist long enough to help my children and grandchildren have magical memories too.
The photos you have shown and the life you described was my life as a child and my life now. I was born and raised in Hawkinville, moved away to attend college and start a career, then moved back here “kicking and screaming” under the spell of love….those good looking doctors will do that to you. 🙂 I was fortunate enough to raise my only child in this town….along those same streets you photographed. My mother and grandmother lived in the neighborhoods you pictured, so he spent such quality time under the canopy of those same trees. Franky was a gem in the crown of our little slice of Heaven. I still smile thinking of the times he, my husband and son “picked” (music lingo for playing a guitar) together. Small world, isn’t it??? Well, maybe not so….in our neck of the woods!
Hi Anita. We must be related, do you know how? I am terrible with keeping track of our family tree. Thank you for your kind words about Franky. He did love that guitar. So glad you have fond memories of him too. Thanks so much for commenting 🙂
I feel the same at the news of (several) losses “back home” . Sad that I am not able to go as often or stay as long either; so your post gave me a little breath of that “back home” comfort. Thanks!
p.s. I have great memories of Mrs. Linder’s Happy Time Play School…could be the Spooky House you mentioned.; yep, so very fortunate to be from the town by the muddy river.
Hi Lynn. I’m so glad you enjoyed the post and pictures. I know my sister went to the Happy Time Play School for a bit too, maybe it was the Spook House!
Hi Melanie–funerals are always so bittersweet–catching up with family and enjoying old memories, while grieving for the one you’ve lost. What a blessing to know that he is in heaven and that you’ll one day be reunited. You have honored him in this lovely, well-crafted post. Blessings, Diana
Thank you Diana, those are very kind words. Im glad you enjoyed the post.
Wow such a great story I grew up in Hawkinsville in one of those old houses, mine is very close to the ones pictured and a couple are on the same block. I remember riding my bicycle through Hawkinsville as a child and seeing all these great big houses and dreaming what they’d look like fixed. I particularly remember the “spook house” as being owned by a sweet old woman and subsequently almost falling down after her death but it looks beautiful now. And the blue one pictured was literally half a house (the other half had caved in) but I’m thrilled to see these all nicely done. The people in the area are also second to none and most would give you the shirt off their backs. Miss old Hawkinsville
Hi Clayton. Thank you for your comment and for some more insight into those old houses and streets. I too an glad to see so many of the homes being restored. You’re right, Hawkinsville is filled with wonderful people who are kind being words.
Thanks for the memories. I lived in Hawkinsville until I was 13, and I loved it!! I still live in a small town, but without the large, historic homes. I attended kindergarten in one of those! 🙂
Wow Monica! That is a fun memory. Thanks so much for stopping by and I’m so glad you enjoyed the post.
Thank you for such a wonderful post about Hawkinsville. The “ville” holds so many wonderful memories growing up, it is a shame that sometimes you don’t know what you have until it is in hindsight. I moved away as an adult but it has never ceased being home to me. Thankful now that I can still return often and show my children the places I played and remember fondly.
Thank you for your wonderful comment Bryan! I am so glad you enjoyed the post and I hope it will be a blessing for you and your family. It’s true that we often don’t realize the value of the things we have right in front of us. I so appreciate you stopping by.
Hey Melanie…. What a sweet thing to do as a ”memorial” to Franky. He must have walked these streets here is Hawkinsville a billion times !! I hope you can hold on to the good memories of your childhood here. It was so good to see you and Brad last week..
God bless you and your family. Love to you, Tommy and Derrie
Hi Derrie. You are so sweet and you and Tommy are such a blessing to our family. It has been amazing these past 12 hours to see the response to this post and to watch as people share their memories of both Franky and Hawkinsville. It really is a special place and places like it are hard to find these days. We’re hoping to come back down this summer with the boys and we will surely visit with you more then.
Love this article and photos! I am from Cochran – just across the river from Hawkinsville. Is the big white house in this picture what used to be The Black Swan?
Hi Lisa. No, I don’t believe that is the old Black Swan. The white house pictured is pretty close to the river, just down the street from the McDonald’s, if that makes any sense 🙂 So glad you stopped by!
So glad some of my Facebook friends posted a link to your blog. I am also a Hawkinsville native and a graduate of Mrs. Linder’s Happy Time Play School. Her kindergarten was not in the Spook House (which was owned at the time by Mrs. Dent). Mrs. Linder’s play school was around the corner in another beautiful historic home which has unfortunately fallen into disrepair. Hawkinsville’s garden club has published a lovely coffee table book titled “Reflections.” If you get a copy, you’ll be able to visit those historic homes any time you wish. Thank you for writing about home.
Hi Nancy. Yes, when I was in town I actually saw one of the books and would love to order one soon. Thanks for clearing up about the Play School and Spook House too. It’s been so fun to watch this post makes it way through Facebook and bring back memories for so many. I’m so glad you stopped by to read it 🙂
Melanie I was born in Hawkinsville. I also had an Aunt and Uncle that lived there. I spent a lot of time there playing with my cousins. Climbing trees riding horses. There are a lot of fond memories there. My grandparents on both sides are buried there along with my Mama. Thank you for sharing your pictures and memories.
Hi Glenda. Sounds like we share some of the same memories. I so appreciate you reading the post and I’m thankful that it has resonated with you and so many others today.
Memories. My prayers are with you and yours at this sad and special time. Hawkinsville is just a hop and skip away from me. Yes my town and most in the are are a repeat of this lovely city. And yes we do love our front porches with old rocking chairs and big ole glass of sweet tea.
Hi Kay. Thank you for your sweet words. Glad there are still places where front porches are frequently occupied!
Hi, The man who owns the old windows and doors sells them. I think that house is his “office”. Great finds there.
Thanks so much for writing this about Hawkinsville, I have made lots of memories here. Franky graduated with me and I am very fortunate to be able to call him a good buddy. He was such a good old soul…So sorry for all of his family.
Hi Debbie, you’re welcome 🙂 I loved writing about Hawkinsville and I have been amazed at how many people have stopped by to read the post and leave a comment sharing their memories. In many ways it has been healing. I’m so glad you have wonderful memories of Franky too.
What gorgeous homes they have in that town, my goodness! I’m so glad people are restoring them rather than letting them crumble. I hope your aunt and the rest of the family are doing okay, Melanie, I know it isn’t easy. Thank you so much for sharing this at History & Home this week. Take care – Dawn @ We Call It Junkin.com
Thank you Dawn, and thank you so much for featuring it on Pinterest. This post has had close to 4,000 views in the past 3 days, so I think the images and stories of the small town lifestyle has struck a cord with so many. Knowing your love of history and old homes, I thought you would enjoy seeing it too 🙂 My family is doing well, I so appreciate your sweet thoughts.
Also, I featured this on my Link Party Features board on Pinterest
I knew your Mama, Susan and uncle Franky since they were 7 and 8. We lived in the house behind them that now has all the storage units in the front yard. We played baseball in that yard, had treausre hunts, played in the construction area of the nursing home while it was being built, jumped on the Floyd’s trampoline next door and your mom and I were in most grades together starting with Mrs. McDuffie in second grade. I too have precious memories of Hawkinsville and my friends, Susan and Franky and of course, Mrs. Louise and Mr. Frank.
Hi Sandy. Thank you for sharing your sweet memories. Was it you that was there with them when Uncle Franky hit the line drive and broke my mom’s nose? She has told that story to me many, many times 🙂
I am so sorry for your loss. It’s nice that during such a sad time you were able to see such beauty around you. I am a Georgia peach and love all of our wonderful small towns.
Hi Virginia. Thank you for your sweet comment. I do love Georgia, and I can say I am ruined from ever eating a store-bought peach. Picking and eating them straight from the tree is the only way to go 🙂
I am from Hawkinsville, graduated with your mom, Franky worked on all my mom’s “problems” in her home & I also kept Chris from time he was born til he was 1. You look so much like Susan, same beautiful smile. Please know that I am praying for all the family.
Hi Lynn. Thank you for your prayers and for your sweet comment. I’m so glad you saw the post, I’m hoping it is bringing just a little bit of healing to the town.
I ‘ve lived here most of my life. the first house belongs to Cliff and Nancy Pritchett. Second house was Dr. Arnold’s, his son lives there now. The 3rd was the Blount house, once owned by Mr. and Mrs. Cobb. now owned by Mr. and Mrs. Wall. We have some beautiful homes here in Hawkinsville. most take them for granted, I look at these homes and think how lucky we are to have people that want to restore them back to their original beauty. I feel blessed to live here. Thanks for the memories.
Hi James. Thank you for all the additional information! That’s another thing unique to small town life, that you know what family lives in each house 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed the post, thank you so much for stopping by.
Lina Arnold was my cousin and she was a dear wonderful person. I was the flower girl in her wedding. I use to love going to Hawkinsville and visiting Maurice, her and my 2nd cousins……Susan, Florence, Tom and Frank. The food was always TOO good.
Thank you for sharing your memories Ann!