Lost in the Woods

Not officially a "lost barn," but pretty darned hard to find.

Canon EOS A2 with Canon 28-105 f3.5-4.5 EF lens, Fujichrome film

(Click to enlarge)

 A lot can happen in 35 or 40 years. Trees can grow up, barns can fall down, highways can be moved. Whole populations of people can move into or out of an area. In central and southeast Georgia many roads are lined with abandoned houses surrounded with trees and brush.

Technically, this little barn on U.S. Highways 25/341 near Everett City, Georgia, about 14 miles north of Brunswick, was not lost. I had one of the old file cards used by the Rock City sign painters in the 1950s and '60s, with a photo, the highway, and the distance from Brunswick. It's the bottom middle card shown below.

 

 The file cards used by the Rock City sign painters.

 

As I said, it was not lost -- except that it was, because I couldn't find it. I spent at least three hours driving up and down U.S. 341. To make things worse, a road crew was working on the highway and I had to wait for the flagman to let me through each time.

I showed the picture to several people, including two guys changing a truck tire at Manning Bros. General Merchandise. They told me the barn was "at the curve."

  

Manning Bros. General Mdse., Everett City, Georgia

 

Curve? What curve? The road was straight. No curves. Finally, someone told me exactly where to look, which, as it happened, was a dirt road about 50 yards from where the roadwork was being done. There appeared to be nothing there except a dense thicket, but when I literally parted the foliage with my hands, there it was. Lost in the woods for many years.

I later learned that the old alignment of U.S. 341 had run up to the front of the barn and then curved left. The barn had indeed been "on the curve," but that was probably 30 years ago.

(Photographs copyright David B. Jenkins 2020)

Soli Gloria Deo

To the glory of God alone

 

Tags: Central Georgia, Southeast Georgia, Everett City, Georgia, Brunswick, Rock City, sign painters, Canon EOS A2, Canon 28-105 f3.5-4.5 EF lens, Fujichrome film