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Folder 158: Ashley, N, 416 Street, 1899-10-14 - 2015-09

 File — Container: Box 2

Scope and Contents

Historical Documents.
  1. [illegible] condominium used for new post office. -VDT 1966-02-08
  2. 31. Barber - Pittman House - Chamber of Commerce (On left). Built by E. R. Barber, Coca-Cola bottling manufacturer and inventor, in 1915. Designed by architect Lloyd B. Greer in the Neoclassical style. Bequeathed to Valdosta citizens by Mrs. Ola Barber Pittman and restored by local architects and the Valdosta Junior Women's Club in 1979. Now the home of the Valdosta - Lowndes County Chamber of commerce. Chamber hours: Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5pm. Listed on the National [illegible] of Historic Places February 12, 1987. At traffic light turn left onto Webster Street. (Note Art Center on left). At dead end, turn right onto Patterson Street. Proceed on Patterson Street and pass historic homes, many of which have been converted to law offices.
  3. FTD 1978.
  4. Have Opened at Tifton: The business of the Valdosta Bottling Works, Holmes & Barber, has grown so great that they have been forced to open a business at Tifton to supply the trade of that section. Holmes & Barber have been making soda water, ales, etc., In Valdosta several years and their trade has grown to wide proportions in that time. Their large business is due to the reliability of their goods and to the high stand they take among the merchants. See their add in this issue. -VDT 1899-10-14
  5. At 'Laughing Place': Architects Lend a Hand: By Times Staff Writer. A group of nine architects spent about five hours Saturday cleaning up the Ola Barber Pittman property on North Ashley Street. It was an effort to help city fathers decide to make use of the property left to the citizens of Valdosta, said spokesmen for the Southwest Georgia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the group doing the work. "The Chapter has volunteered free architectural services to the city to do whatever is necessary to renovate the building," said Ken Ricket a former chapter president. He said they have been informed the city is not quite sure they want to accept the house from the estate because of costs involved in initial renovation as well as upkeep. "Part of the action Saturday was to improve it to make it desirable," said Richard Hill, chapter secretary. Hill said the chapter wants to work with any non-profit group to fulfill Mrs. Pittman's will to make it a "laughing place" for Valdostans. He said they have contacted such groups as the Lowndes County Historical Society and Lowndes-Valdosta Arts Commission to see if they could fulfill the will. The architects' organization is also looking into possibilities of having the house listed in the National Register of Historic Sites and of getting federal and state funds to help meet costs. The group was to meet Tuesday with Lowndes Historical Society to study the will and see if the society would accept the building if the estate would give it to the, Ricket said. "I understand the will is not that restrictive," Hill said referring to the variety of ways they are studying to make it accessible to Valdostans. The architects have set themselves a goal of August to have something decided. The Georgia AIA is to meet in Valdosta then. Hill said they would like either to be able to able to meet at the house or to tour. After discussing the will, they are to plan a course of action to avert the house's being torn down, Ricket said. "If (some group doesn't accept it) the property will sit and deteriorate to the point of being unusable," said Hill. "Part of out action Saturday was to make it more desirable," Ricket added if the talks seem favorable, they will plan another cleanup Saturday. "Then we'd like to get the general public to help too," he said. "We've shown we are willing to do whatever we can." -VDT 1979-03-21
  6. City Doesn't Own The Barber House: By Times Staff Writer. Contrary to the impression of a number of people, the city of Valdosta does not own the Barber house, Mayor Gill Harbin said at a press conference today. Harbin asked the media to help clear up some misconceptions about the property. In her will the late Mrs. Ola Barber Pittman left the 19th century house and land on North Ashley Street behind the federal building to the people of Valdosta. "The city doesn't own the property. It's still in control of the trustees, Jimmy New of Valdosta and Bob Sapp, the former Brunswick city attorney," Harbin said. It may be that at some time in the future the trustees will turn the property over to the city or someone else who can maintain it for public use but at this point, "I don't know that the city can accept it or that the trustees can give it to us," the mayor said. "I'm going to bore you a bit." Harbin said and began reading and excerpt from Mrs. Pittman's will. The section is not boring. It is, instead, rather poetic. In the will Mrs. Pittman she was leaving her property as "a home of beauty dedicated to all people" - a place "to sit, reflect and think in an atmosphere of beauty of solitude." Harbin said he feels people have been unfair to Mrs. Pittman in saying she left the property as a "laughing" place. Her thoughts were deeper than that, the mayor said. In a portion of the will, Mrs. Pittman directs that the garden in the rear of the house be for the people so they may always have laughing place. In the will she recalled that a Joel Chandler Harris story has Uncle Remus telling a little boy "everybody has got to have a laughing place." A team of architects directed by Art Smith of Valdosta is evaluating the condition of the house and trying to determine the cost involved in fixing it. Smith has said the house appears on the surface to be structurally sound. In another matter, Harbin said he is asking the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce aviation and traffic safety committee to help the city gather airport data to present to the Civil Aeronautics Board which is trying to determine what services airports should have. The CAB is holding hearings in conjunction with its airport deregulation policy. Harbin said some cities are threatened with loss of air service but doesn't anticipate any problems with Southern Airways here. -VDT 1979-03-28
  7. Nothing Has Been Done With City's Laughing Place: By Carey Cameron. Ola Barber Pittman seemed in life to be an unlikely person to propose and help start a civic project. Those who remember Mrs. Pittman in later years remembers her as an elderly woman who outwardly neither appeared to be nor acted like a potential civic benefactor. Mrs. Pittman, whose mode of dress and way of life were far from fashionable, was considered eccentric by many who knew her and local public officials had reason to consider her a bit of a gadfly. And yet it was Mrs. Pittman who left Valdosta residents a once grand house on a valuable piece of land with the thought it could become a "laughing place" for citizens. The "laughing place" phrase comes from a Joel Chandler Harris Uncle Remus story. "Uncle Remus in talking to a little boy said everybody has got to have a laughing place," Mrs. Pittman said in her will. The laughing place would be the Barber family home at 416 N. Ashley St. which Mrs. Pittman wanted preserved as an example of old Southern homes and as a place, "where persons may come and sit reflect and think in an atmosphere of beauty and solitude." Most of those who care about the quality of Southern life would agree that these words came from a sensible, and probably a sensitive person. To James New, the Valdosta banker who is co-administrator of her estate, Mrs. Pittman was the concerned good thinker her will indicates she was. He knew her while others just knew about her. But most public officials and the general public remember her as and old woman who lived alone in a large house was ill kept and an known to be filled with cats. In fact there were reports she had more cats than it was healthy to keep in a city. "She loved animals. The second part of her will calls for the rest of her estate to be used in starting a Society for the Prevention to Cruelty to Animals here, if there is enough," New said. Mrs. Pittman died April 12, 1977 after appending the last two years of her life in a nursing home. She was one of two surviving daughters of E. R. Barber who died in 1965 at the age of 95, having lived with Miss Ola in the Ashley Street house. Her sister, Mrs. E. D. King, is still living. Barber was a leading Valdosta citizen In his younger days he was active in support to Valdosta State College and was an early trustee. He also operated Barber's Pool. Among other things he established what became the Valdosta Coca-Cola bottling plant, bottling soft drinks around the turn of the century even before coke was available in bottles here. Barber accumulated a lot of property and was a public benefactor, a fact his daughter didn't want people to forget, New said. In the rapidly expanding days of the early 60s, city and state officials sometimes encountered Barber property when needing new street rights of way. Mrs. Pittman usually ended up making a deal but those who dealt with her said it was quite a chore. The General Services Administration found it more than a chore- it was impossible. The Barber house and its grounds were intended to be part of the new Federal Building site but Mrs. Pittman had other ideas. She resisted losing her land to the point of telephoning President Lyndon Johnson and putting a lot of pressure on then Congressman Russell Tuten of Brunswick. Some say Mrs. Pittman actually got LBJ on the line. Another version of the story has it that she had some rather sharp exchanges with a White House operator while trying to reach LBJ. In the end Mrs. Pittman won, being allowed to keep her property and will it to the citizens of Valdosta. At first Valdosta Mayor Gill Harbin felt the property was needed more by the GSA than the city but he later eased back from this position. GSA has contracted in the meantime for parking space near the Patterson and Magnolia Street intersection and is "completely out" of the Barber property situation, New said. By the time Mrs. Pittman died, most of her cash money had been spent on nursing and rest home care and her share of the Barber property, which was divided between her and Mrs. King several years ago, was down to three pieces of property plus an interest in one piece that is still in her father's estate, New said. "The old Georgia Hotel building is the only thing that wasn't divided. Mrs. King and I both would like to hear from any buyers on it. Mrs. Pittman owned the Ashley Street lot that has Valdosta Used Cars on it and 2.4 acres on River Street opposite the Barber Pool property," New commented. "There isn't enough money in her estate to restore the house and she knew it. The money would have to be raised to restore it. For the last month we have had a team of architects studying it to determine if it can be restored. "We have just received tax exempt status for the Barber trust and the rest of the property will be sold. If we could get state or federal help on the house we might could restore it," New said. That house that would be a 'laughing place" is a white columned frame mansion with a large palm growing in front of it. There is a 1936 Oldsmobile that Barber drove and there is soft drinking bottling machine on the premises. New proposes to offer the car for sale. Mrs. Pittman never drove it. -VDT 1979-01-02
  8. The History of a Classic House: By Susan McKey Thomas. Built in 1915 by E. R. Barber, this house is an excellent example of turn-of-the century Southern Comestic Neo-classicism. It was designed by Lloyd Burton Greer, a prominent south Georgia architect and long-time resident of Valdosta who received his early training at the Georgia School of Technology and in the Atlanta architectural firm of George C. Thompson. It should be noted that construction documents were found in the house during the cleanup. However, the drawings did not include the room over the porte cochere, and they indicated a balustrade pedement on the front elevation. It is not known if the changes occurred during construction or if there was another set of drawings made. The March 5, 1915, issue of the Valdosta Daily Times states, "The frame work of the residence of Mr. E. R. Barber on Ashley Street is nearly completed and one can get a good idea now of what a handsome structure it will be. It is to be modern in every respect and will be the first residence in Valdosta to be equipped with an electric passenger elevator." Oddly, enough, the elevator was never installed Instead, the elevator shaft reserved for the lift was used by Mr. Barber as storage space to house his various business records. The June 29, 1915, issue of The Times advised that contractor Deming (John Nelson Deming of Valdosta)" is putting in the hardwood floors in Mr. E. R. Barber's handsome new home on Ashley Street and the building will be completed in the next two or three weeks..." The exterior detailing of the home is beautifully simple with its linteled windows and fanlight over the front door. At the same time, one is impressed with this handsome massive structure, its six Ionic supporting columns with dentils and brackets running around the cornices, its symmetrically spaced windows and entrance door. Attention should be given to the wainscotting and the molding which frames the doors and two fireplaces on the first floor. Ceilings on both floors are marked by this same wood detailing, though that of the second floor is more restrained than that used on the main floor. The ceiling detailing in the dining room, consisting of concentric squares of small lights (60 in number) integrated with a wood beam system, is a very unique design element within a structure of this period. Another significant internal mechanical detail is the baseboard vacuum system. Upon the death of Mr. Barber in 1965, the house became the property of his daughter, Ola Barber Pittman; and it was here that she made her home. When the new U.S. Post Office-Federal Building was constructed on North Patterson Street in the 1960s, the safety of the home was threatened. The property is adjacent to the post office complex, and the General Services Administration was eyeing it as a potential site for the expansion of parking facilities. However, Mrs. Pittman was determined to protect her home; and through her tenacious efforts, she was successful in staving off the long arm of the governmental agency. It is said that she placed a call to President Lyndon B. Johnson and made her position in the matter very clear to him. At any rate, "Miss Ola" won her case. Mrs. Pittman died in Valdosta on April 12, 1977 after spending the last two years of her life in a nursing home. When her will was read, it was revealed that she had left the home in Trust for "the citizens of Valdosta." She had detailed very explicit instructions as to her wishes regarding the use of it. She was particularly anxious that the government not gain control of the property. There was also a proviso in her will which prohibited selling it. Should any attempt be made in this direction, the property was to revert to her estate. This home had, apparently, been a haven of rest for her -- a place in which she felt secure -- where she could pause, relax and reflect upon the pleasantries of life. And, seemingly, this was the heritage she wished to pass on to the citizens of Valdosta in leaving the property to them. While there was great appreciation for Mrs. Pittman's generous bequest, some of the restrictions which she had placed upon it presented some technical problems; and it was not until March 1979 that any real progress was made toward resolving the matter. At that time, the Southwest Georgia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects became interested in the project. Enthusiasm concerning it gathered momentum, and the local Junior Woman's Club offered their services. Representative of the various interested groups, including those from the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce, met with the executors of Mrs. Pittman's trust estate and began working together. Fortunately, they were able to surmount the difficulties first encountered; and it was determined that the use of the property by the Chamber of Commerce would, indeed, fulfill the requirements set forth by Mrs. Pittman's will. The real work then began. Restoration of the home has been accomplished under the direction of architect William Richard Hill, associate of IPG, Architects and Planners of Valdosta. Hill holds a bachelor's degree in Architecture, having graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1971. He was the recipient of a Demorsch Memorial Scholarship and attended the 1972 summer session at Fontainebleau School of Fine Arts, Fontainebleau, France. In carrying out the restoration, great care has been taken to preserve the architectural integrity of the house. Small liberties were taken only when it was necessary to instigate changes for practical purposes. The original light fixtures have been put to use, and much of the furniture (52 pieces) used throughout the house belonged to the Barber family. The tile in the bathrooms is a duplication of the original. The wallpaper used was selected from copies of patterns contemporary with the era within which the house was built. Also, paint colors used are in keeping with the time. General construction of the renovation project was done by Amos Construction of Valdosta. Landscaping is done by Southern Landscaping Contractors. The Barber house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on Feb. 12, 1980. -VDT 1981-05-13
  9. The Story of the 'Laffin'-Place': By Times Staff Writer. A laffin'-place is a great place to be if you are Brer Rabbit. Not so, if you are Brer Fox. Ola Barber Pittman left the E. R. Barber home place as the community's laffin'-place, obviously knowing we are not Brer Rabbits and not Brer Foxes. The Joel Chandler Harris Uncle Remus story of the laffin'-place is one that makes Brer Rabbit laugh at the expanse of Brer Fox. But then Brer Rabbit was always getting the best of Brer Fox with his practical jokes. Poor Brer Fox. Brer Rabbit was the kind of practical joker who knew an opportunity when he saw it, and he just couldn't resist taking it. When Brer Fox wanted to see Brer Rabbit's laffin-place, he agreed to take him there. So, Brer Rabbit led the way. Finally they came to a little clearing in the forest. It was surrounded by heavy undergrowth vines and bushes. He had very carefully picked the spot. "Is dis de place?" asked Brer Fox. "I don't feel no mo' like laffin' now dan I did 'fo I come." But to laugh, explained Breer Rabbit, the fox must dash through the thick underbrush. Back and forth, he advised Brer Fox. So, Brer Fox did -- back and forth, through the heavy tangle of bushes, vines and small trees. Within minutes, Brer Fox was falling all over himself. He wasn't laughing. He was shouting, "Yap, yap, yap, en ouch, ouch, ouch, en yow, yow yow." Now Brer Rabbit was falling all over himself, laughing. Uncle Remus had finished the story, so he waited for the obvious question. A little boy asked him what had happened to Brer Fox. Uncle Remus replied: "He run ter de Eas' "en he run tur de Wes "En he jammed his head "in a hornet's nes"! The laffin'-place story is one of the lesser known Uncle Remus' stories, but Mrs. Pittman remembered and quoted from it in her will, setting up the trust for the Barber home place. The will says: "I am reminded by remembrance of Joel Chandler Harris; Uncle Remus that in talking with a little boy, Uncle Remus said, 'Everybody has got to have a laughing place.' So in keeping with Uncle Remus' directions, it is my desire to have my trustees provide for Valdosta citizens 'a laughing, talking and thinking place." In leaving the Barber home place in trust for the community, Mrs. Pittman said the purpose is to "provide a place where persons may come and sit, reflect and think in an atmosphere of beauty and solitude." It would seem obvious that she would be pleased with what has happened. In addition to the property, the trustees provided $75,000 from her estate to restore the house. The Chamber of Commerce, which acquired the property from Mrs. Pittman's trustees, raised the balance to put the Barber home in as near its original 1915 state as possible. In explaining what she had in mind, Mrs. Pittman added this: "A home of beauty, dedicated to all people will serve a far better purpose than to bend to the will of commercialism and have a gasoline service station or a used car lot on my family's property." She might have also said, "...or any government building or agency on my family's property." Mrs. Pittman dedicated untold hours of her time keeping Uncle Sam from taking the Barber home place. When the General Services Administration was taking property along North Patterson and North Ashley streets for the federal building, it had an eye on the Barber place. Mrs. Pittman made sure they didn't get it. The stories of her efforts are legion, including a phone call to then President Lyndon Johnson. At one time, the story goes, a GSA bureaucrat in Atlanta wondered why a local surveyor was unable to survey to corner of North Ashley and Rogers Street. He sent a surveyor here from Atlanta to complete the job. He went back to Atlanta and explained. Mrs. Pittman wouldn't let him near the property. The GSA never got the survey, and the federal building was built without the Barber corner being part of its parking lot. Mrs. Pittman didn't want the Barber place to be bent "to the will of commercialism." In a way that's what has happened, with the Chamber of Commerce taking it over for its office. But she would probably be happy with what has happened there. In addition to the Chamber headquarters, there will be a special room set aside in the big house as an inside laffin'-place. The downstairs south front room will be used to house items of historical interest and memorabilia of the E. R. Barber family and from the era in which Mr. Barber was a driving force in civic, cultural and economic affairs of the community. Outside, the gardens will be developed. This laffin'-place will be unlike Brer Rabbit's. The landscape design calls for a formal garden, including an old fashioned gazebo. The General James Jackson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution here will donate the gazebo. The DAR has a fund-raising project to raise the necessary money to build the garden structure. -VDT 1981-05-13
  10. One Man Believed All Along: By Times Staff Writer. In the beginning, only one man believed it was feasible to locate the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce offices in the Barber House. That man was Jim New, an officer at First Trust Bank and Trust Co. here and executor of the estate of Ola Barber Pittman. Not even Chamber officials like Executive Vice President John B. Lastinger, now one of the project's most enthusiastic supporters, though it was realistic. However, Lastinger didn't count on the gentle persuasion and dogged determined of New. "You know how he is," Lastinger said recalling the days immediately following Mrs. Barber's death in 1975. "He'd start planting those seeds. "He'd see me somewhere and say, 'Man, the Chamber really ought to be there.'" Lastinger admits his initial reaction was negative and for years he wouldn't even listen to New's pleading to at least look at it. No one resists Jimmy New forever, though, and finally gave in. That was the turning point. "It was a mess," Lastinger said, "but you could see how it would be if it was restored." Then, New sweetened the pot with an offer of $75,000 from the Barber estate to be used for renovation. New himself downplays his role in the affair but Chamber officials are unanimous that he alone had the vision of the Barber House being the new headquarters of the Chamber. The reason was simple. The will of Ola Barber Pittman left the building to the people of Valdosta. As executor of the estate, he was bound to abide by her wishes. "In the beginning, everybody wanted the house but nobody wanted to spend the money on it," New said. "The Lowndes Art Commission showed an interest in it and a number of individuals wanted to take it for commercial use but that was in violation of the will. "That was why I was so insistent that it would be ideally suited for the Chamber." It is history that New's insistence paid off. However, he did not have his tribulations. "The first year, of course, was involved in settling the estate." New said. "Then, there was the matter of getting someone at the Chamber interested. "It was just a matter of finding the right person at the Chamber who believed in the project." New said interest seemed to pick up when businessman Bill Holland became Chamber president. He and construction company executive Bill Amos were prime movers in getting the Chamber into its new quarters. Lastinger said during those interim years, the Chamber had its mind on the possibility of buying property and putting up a new building. However, the cost of $250,000-300,000 was out of the question. After Lastinger finally gave in and visited the old house, he called a Chamber board meeting. The board left its meeting and visited the house with Lastinger. After they reconvened, they said, "Hey, let's do it," Lastinger recalled. New said his satisfaction is not in the fact that he was proved right but from Mrs. Barber's standpoint. "It fulfills her wish and fulfills a promise I made her before her death," New said. "When she was in the nursing home, she was always concerned about what would happen to the home. "She wanted reassurance daily that the house would be preserved in some manner. I think the use of the house (by the Chamber) is what she had in mind because it means permanent preservation of it. "It's going to not only be a real asset to the Chamber and the town but a daily showplace that has real value to the community." -VDT 1981-05-13
  11. Renovation was a Labor of Love: By Times Staff Writer: It is the stuff of which Gone With the Wind was made. Or, perhaps more fitting, a riches to rags now back to riches drama. The Barber House has risen from the ashes of neglect to regain its rightful place as a thing of beauty in its original state. The job was not easy. It was done through hard work from architectural care to the beauty of workmanship done by the craftsmen who care about their craft. The historic house has a long history, yet one has to think there is the beginning of a new history for the former home of Mrs. Ola Barber Pittman and her father before her, now to be the home of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce. Built in 1915, the house is on Ashley Street and was left by Mrs. Pittman as a git to Valdosta to hold, among other things, a laughing place." That is being handled, too. But the major portion of the property, the historic house, has been restored to its original splendor with modern techniques but using most or all of the old fixtures. It wasn't an easy task. For example, one of the more difficult tasks came about as a labor of love. Mac Tillman didn't charge for his services to fiberglass and out auto body filler in the metal columns (there are six) on the front of the house. Bill Amos, chief executive officer of Amos Construction Co., said he was amazed by the work done by craftsmen who saw others taking pride and each then put out his or her best. "The house was extremely deteriorated, there had been vandalism and some of the wainscoat paneling and baseboards had been ripped off. "We were able to go through the material, found it was pine and we picked material we could match up and you can't tell where it was patched," said Amos. Amos gives a lot of credit to architect Richard Hill. But there are others. Troy Snipes retired from the Amos firm. Learning of the project and remembering having worked on the house as a youth, Snipes offered to come out of retirement to act as the general supervisor. He was quickly taken up on the offer by Amos. Architect Hill was perplexed when some of the porcelain light fixtures were found to be broken and no replacements were available. Jim Ingram, an architect with the same firm as Hill, IPG, made some duplicate fixtures. Jay Perryman was the plumbing contractor on the job. Seeing the renovation of the light fixtures (the originals were sent to Atlanta and a firm there replated and refinished them) Perryman did the same on some of the old plumbing. The electrical and air conditioning contractor ran into problems of keeping the original design but with modern safety features and for running air conditioning ducts without making them obvious. "The electrical contractor put a modern system in along with the air conditioning but made them unobtrusive so you can't really see the additions," said Amos. Existing bare wire "knob and tube" electrical systems, where bare wires were wrapped insulated knobs and passed in tubes through walls, was replaced with modern electrical cable, safe enough for strict codes, yet going through closets and attics to remain unobtrusive. "One of the most interesting things was when we first inspected it we found the basement - there are not many in Valdosta - and there was an old laboratory. "It looked like something out of a 1947 comic book, under the stairs with brown bottles. You can picture old Mr. Barber down there trying to duplicate the Coca Cola formula or something," said Amos with a laugh. Some unusual problems included having to get at lighting fixtures in the dining room from the floor above, in order to preserve the ceiling. Of course, the major hurdle was to keep existing fixtures, yet find someone to redo them into new-looking fixtures. Amos can't place money value on the place. "You know, it is like having an heirloom, passed down through the generations. You can't place a dollar and cents value on it because there is no way to replace it," said Amos. -VDT 1981-05-13
  12. Furniture Refinisher Had Big Job: By Times Staff Writer: For James Mason, a Thomasville antique dealer and refinisher, the Barber house restoration meant refinishing about 25 pieces of furniture, many of them "in pretty bad shape." It was Mason's job to try to restore the old finish, as opposed to stripping and refinishing "from scratch" and at the same time stay within a $4,500 budget. Mason cleaned, patched as much as possible, but some pieces were in such bad shape he had to strip them, he said. "If you completely refinish it, it loses its antique value. The finish is original. It's part of its value," Mason said. "But unless it has a tremendous value, like a famous piece of furniture, I think it's better to have an attractive piece of furniture." Was it the type of job antique dealers love to get their hands on? "Not particularly," said Mason, owner of James S. Mason Antiques. The pieces involved in the task included secretaries, tables, chairs, a cabinet for music and a piano. Most of the pieces were from the 1840-1875 period "an awful lot from the early 20th century," he said. "There were some real nice secretaries for that period," he said. Most of the very valuable antiques had been removed from the Barber House by family members. The Chamber of Commerce then picked out pieces, donated to the cause, that could be used by chamber staff. The rest was sold at a public auction last summer. Mason said the restoration project "is going to be a real asset to Valdosta. I was glad to see them do it." -VDT 1981-05-13
  13. Photos of the Barber House before the restoration, and photos of the Chamber of Commerce Building after the restoration by Robert Winter III. -VDT 1981-05-13
  14. Barber House is in Register of Historic Places: By Marcia McRae: The Barber House on North Ashley Street has been entered in the National Register of Historic Places, according to official notification received today. Valdosta's second listing, the house was placed in the register Feb.12 a little more than one month after The Crescent became Valdosta's first entry. The Barber House, approved by the state historic preservation review board in October, was left to the citizens of Valdosta in her will by Ola Barber Pittman. She had fought the federal government to save the property from becoming a parking lot for the post office. Getting it listed in the national register was a joint effort of Area Planning and Development Commission, Southwest Georgia Chapter of American Institute of Architects and Valdosta Junior Woman's Club. "I think it's fantastic," said architect Richard Hill who was instrument in getting restoration started. "It's been a long uphill struggle but it's worth it." He said while the architects worked to clean out overgrown plants and the outside, VJWC members plowed through the inside mass of trash and papers, all in an effort to "convince someone" the house had potential, Hill said. James New, First State Bank and Trust Co. vice president and co-executor of the Ola Barber Pittman estate, said the listing in the register "affords us an opportunity in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce to make the house like new again." He added Attorney Mike Dover and Haley Blanchard of the APDC were instrument in the application for the listing. The house is to be used as a means of speeding up moving into the house. Listing makes the property eligible for matching grants for restoration. "I just found out about the listing this morning and I really haven't had a chance to look into all is involved in the grant business," Lastinger said. He said when agreements between the chamber and the estate are signed the process can start of taking inventory of the contents then moving them out so architects can begin restoration. He added, there are no plans to change significantly the house's appearance. The most change he foresees is combining two upstairs bedrooms to make a board room. Mrs. Blanchard, APDC regional preservation planner, said the listing does not restrict the use of the property nor alterations to it. However, were the house moved or changed significantly it would be removed from the register. "There is a host of implications from the listing and they're all good," she said. In addition to being eligible for grants, the listing protects the house from certain federal projects. "But the main things is it give recognition that the federal government recognizes it as a significant cultural resource worthy of preservation." The house was built in 1915. It was designed by the late Lloyd Greer, prominent Valdosta architect. "It is an excellent of turn of the century Southern domestic neoclassicism," Mrs. Blanchard said. It was the home of Valdosta business man and inventor, Eugene R. Barber. He was a partner with J. F. Holmes in Valdosta Bottling Works and had patents on improvements to the cotton gin and the bottling process. He invented the rotary table for filling bottles, said Mrs. Blanchard. -VDT 1980-03-14
  15. E. R. Barber House is Full of Celebration for its 100th: The Barber House was built in 1915 by E. R. Barber, a businessman, entrepreneur, and inventor. Designed by local architect Lloyd Barton Greer, the house is astonishing in its design and admired for its intricate details. A prime example of neoclassical architecture, the Barber House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The building's exterior features linteled windows symmetrically spaced around the house and six Ionic-style columns on the front porch. The interior is equally impressive and features wainscotting, crown molding and three fireplaces on the first floor. The dining room ceiling is adorned with concentric rectangles featuring 60 small lights integrated with a wood beam. The second floor features five spacious bedrooms, including a large sunroom over the porte cochere. A March 5, 1915 article in the Valdosta Daily Times, stated, "The framework of the residence of Mr. E. R. Barber on Ashley Street is nearly completed and one can get a good idea now of what a handsome structure it will be. It is to be modern in every respect and will be the first residence in Valdosta to be equipped with an electric passenger elevator." Thought the elevator was never installed, the house was designed with a shaft so that an elevator could be installed at a later time. The house did feature other modern conveniences including a baseboard system, which did not become commonplace in American homes until several decades later. Barber lived in the house until his death in 1965, at which time the house became the property of his daughter, Ola Barber Pittman. She loved the house and even fought the federal government to protect the family estate. Shortly after acquiring the house, the General Services Administration sought to obtain the site for additional parking adjacent to the new U. S. Post Office and Federal Building. Pittman was vehement in her efforts to save the family home from being demolished. Pittman died in 1977, after spending the last two years of her life in a nursing home. In her will, she bequeathed the Barber House to the "citizens of Valdosta" with detailed instructions that the government should not gain control of the property. As reported in a 1981 Valdosta Daily Times Article, the property was left in a trust for the community, with the purpose to "provide a place where persons may come and sit, reflect and think in an atmosphere of beauty and solitude." It was several years after her death before a decision was reached regarding how the house could be used by the citizens of Valdosta, as directed in her will. Jimmy New, local banker and executor of Pittman's estate, worked with members of the community to first get the house in a presentable condition and then find a suitable tenant. A Labor of Love: Before Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce was approached about moving into the historic home, many hours of work had to be completed to get the house cleaned up. Local architect Richard Hill enlisted fellow local members of the Southwest Georgia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects to remove overgrown shrubs and foliage that overwhelmed the outside of the house. "We brought chainsaws so that we could cut down the bushes and shrubs," said Hill, "we wanted to at least clear a path to get in the house." Members of the Valdosta Junior Woman's Club began the challenge of cleaning the interior of the house. Gelaine Foster, then chairperson for the Valdosta Junior Women's Club Community Improvement Project, grew up in Valdosta and thought the Barber House was beautiful and believed it was worth saving. She approached members of the club to take on the project and help restore the house to its original grandeur and glory. "I showed the ladies a lot of pictures..." -VDT Historic Barber House September 2015
  16. Historic Barber House: Pictured front row from left, Angie Crawford and Carla Penny. Back row from left, Jud Rackley, John Bennett, and Tim Carroll. [illegible] outstanding quality of life [illegible] in Valdosta and Lowndes [illegible] Budding entrepreneurs [illegible] Chamber's SEEDS Business Resource Center to obtain [illegible] market research assis- [illegible] free business consul- [illegible] Chamber members meet to develop new initiatives and programs that enhance the community and its economic [illegible] Top elected officials often [illegible] Barber House to speak to business leaders and members of the community. The Barber House is an active [illegible] full of people and full of [illegible]. Each year the Chamber [illegible] more than 2,800 visitors [illegible] It provides a place where new ideas emerge and opportunities for new businesses are [illegible]. Mrs. Pittman gave the [illegible] to the Valdosta community, she also established the Barber Trust. Funds from this trust were used in the original renovation of the house in 1981. Throughout the years, the trust has provided the financial resources needed to maintain the interior and exterior of the building. It is extremely important to maintain the historic integrity of the Barber House, from its wall coverings, paint, floors, and furniture. It is also vital to keep the house functioning as a business. This involves updating electrical equipment and technology, heating and air conditioning units, and all the other important aspects of both a house and an office. In 1980, after the first major renovations to the house were completed, the Barber House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2013, the Chamber received the Stewardship Award from the Valdosta Historic Preservation Commission for the care it has given to the Barber House the past three decades. The Barber House is a beautiful house that deserves continued preservation. It embodies Southern grace and charm; however, it is in need of improvement to protect its structural integrity, from a new roof and gutters to updated carpets and paint. To help oversee the needed repairs and renovations, the Chamber established the Barber Trust Advisory Board. I am honored to serve on this board along with Tim Carroll, Jud Rackley, John Bennett, and Angie Crawford. The house is owned by the Barber Trust and leased to the Chamber for one dollar a year, with a 75-year lease. To continue preserving the historic house, the Chamber has initiated the Investing for the Next Century capital campaign to ensure the Barber Trust has the funds necessary to ensure the Barber House receives the attention it deserves. The campaign will also raise money to continue supporting the SEEDS Business Resource Center and develop a small business incubator to enhance entrepreneurial growth. The Barber House belongs to the citizens of Valdosta and Lowndes County and represents the economic future and well-being our community. Please join me in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Barber House and its continued success! Sincerely, Carla Penny Chairperson, Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce Barber Trust Advisory Board. -VDT September 2015
  17. Copy of agreement between Robert Asa Sapp and James New as trustees for the Barber House.
  18. LCHS: Lowndes County in South Georgia: Bordering on the State of Florida. Land in this county is well drained and suitable for farming in all branches. Corn, cotton, tobacco, melons, vegetables and a large variety of forage crops, permanent pastures, and some kind of grazing crop during the entire year. Open field grown vegetable plants, pecan nuts and small fruits form an important and profitable part of farm work. The county has sixteen towns and community centers, each being a shipping point, and no farm in the county is more than five miles from shipping. The principal highways are paved and many miles of well graded semi-hard roads traverse the county. Lowndes County has a good consolidated school system, a health commissioner who at all times looks after the health conditions in schools and public places. A county farm agent and a home demonstration agent are regularly employed to lend assistance to farmers and their families. The county has an area of 304,000 acres embracing 18 types of soil and an abundance of timber which make for a wide variety of agricultural pursuits. 90 per cent of the land in this county is suitable for some kind of farm operation. Prices ranges from $15.00 to $75.00 per acre. The pecan tree shown below has been stripped of leaves. Notes the clusters of nuts. Beautiful homes. Well kept flower gardens and parks. Paved streets. Excellent water supply and sewer system. Adequate coal, gas, and hydro-electric service at most favorable rates. Address Chamber of Commerce Valdosta, Georgia.
  19. Brochure: Walking Tour of The Barber House Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce. Architect- Lloyd Barton Greer Built in 1915 by John Deming. Contains descriptions of rooms within the house and a numbered map.
  20. Friday, March 5, 1915 - Taken from: The Valdosta Daily Times. The frame work of the residence of Mr. E. R. Barber on Ashley Street is nearly completed and one can get a good idea now of what a handsome structure it will be. It is to be modern in every respect and will be the first residence in Valdosta to be equipped with an electric passenger elevator. -VDT 1915-03-05
  21. Taken from: The Valdosta Daily Times. Tuesday, June 29, 1915 - Contractor Deming is putting in the hardwood floors is Mr. E. R. Barber's handsome new home on Ashley Street and the building will be completed in the next two or three weeks, or as soon as the electrical fixtures can be put in. The residence is one of the handsomest, as well as most modern in the city. It will be equipped with modern vacuum sweepers, fire escapes, steam heating apparatus, electric and gas equipment, shower baths and other conveniences. -VDT 1915-06-29
  22. Local Women's Will Blocks Feds: Property Left For Citizens: By Archie McKay. A Valdosta woman who fought government encroachment and unchallenged commercialism in life is doing so in death. Ola Barber Pittman, who died earlier this month, left a will which throws up yet another roadblock in any government efforts to take her old homeplace on Ashley Street for more parking space for the Federal Building. Mrs. Pittman was a legend in her own time in some government circles. She tugged at everyone from congressmen to a sitting president in her efforts to keep the General Services Administration from her door. Her property on Ashley Street backs up to the post office. The GSA has wanted the property off and on for years to increase the parking space at the Federal Building. Mrs. Pittman fought the GSA to a standstill. Now, in death, she has left the property in a trust fund for the citizens of Valdosta to enjoy, a place to go and "laugh." Of course, if the GSA wants, it can start proceedings to condemn the property and overturn the trustees. It appears that is exactly what they would have to do if they want the property. Mrs. Pittman, in her will, expressed concern at growing commercialism and the loss of antebellum homes to such ventures as service stations. Noting and such homes are "rapidly disappearing," Mrs. Pittman directed the trustees of her old homeplace provide a "place of beauty and rest" on the property for the citizens of Valdosta. Pointing out there is no downtown area where people could sit and visit, she recalled the words of Joel Chandler Harris who told a small boy "everybody has to have a laughing place." Mrs. Barber wanted a "laughing place" for Valdostans to visit and enjoy an judging by her position taken in life, giving her the last laugh on the government. Mrs. Pittman's will calls for the place to be maintained so residents of the city might come to "think, reflect in an atmosphere of beauty and solitude." Mrs. Pittman's will stated the property would "serve a far better purpose" in this way to "bend to commercialism." GSA officials in Atlanta today said their policy on questions from newsmen is to take the questions, research them and then call back. However, they are well aware of Mrs. Pittman in death as they were in her life. A nephew, Robert Asa Sapp, retired lawyer in Brunswick, is one trustee... -1977-04-26
  23. Barber House Renovation Progressing On Schedule: Like a dowager donning a new wardrobe, the refurnishing work on the Ola Barber Pittman house is slowly progressing. The most visible change has been to the grounds where old snarls of overgrown vegetation have been cleared away. A small army of workmen has moved in to restore the house to near-original condition for the use of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce. "Things are moving," said Richard Hill, the architect in charge of the project. Hill became interested in preserving he building about three years ago when he came to Valdosta. He then managed to spur interest in the restoration project among members of the Southwest Georgia Chapter of the Architects Institute of America and the Junior Women's Club. Hill was also instrumental in the formation of the Valdosta Heritage Foundation. The estimated $175,000 cost of the project is $175,000. Crews are working now to rewire the house and replace its plumbing. Central heat and air conditioning is also being installed. One large unexpected expense came when restorers found the unique metal tile roof to be too deteriorated for repair. Everett Vickery with Valdosta Roofing and Supply said the old-style roof would've been impossible to replace with an exact duplicate. "They haven't made that stuff in 50 years," he said. He said a similar material had been located in California ("for the movie stars' homes") but the cost was prohibitive. Vickery said such was a roof would've cost $30,000. A fiberglass shingle roof is going up instead with the blessings of the National Register. The Register keeps an eye on restoration projects to keep rebuilders from straying too far from the original. Keeping an eye on the crews working on the Barber House is Troy Snipes, who Hill said came out of retirement just for the project. Hill said the restoration is to include four rooms being bought back to original condition with the same paint, wallpaper and ceiling light fixtures used during the house's heyday. The four rooms are to include the "Ola Barber Pittman Memorial Room" upstairs, the parlor, the dining room and one bedroom. Hill said the parlor is to be used to entertain visiting dignitaries, the dining room for conferences, and the Pittman Room as a music library. Hill said one interesting item surfaced while the house was cleaned out prior to the restoration construction. He said a ledger listing expenditures for the original construction of the house was found. In it was a bill from a New York specialty company for the six columns that for the striking facade of the house. The columns, made of tin, were listed at $60 dollars each or about $360 for the impressive row of majestic white uprights. -VDT 1980-10-09
  24. Brochure: History of the Barber-Pittman House. By: Susan McKey Thomas. Contains: History of the house including notable people and organizations involved and biographical notes on the Barber family.
  25. [Image of the Barber-Pittman house] Caption: The E. R. Barber house, now known as the Barber-Pittman house, at 416 North Ashley Street was the home of Valdosta businessman E. R. Barber. The image is from the 1920s. Later the structure [illegible] considerable neglect, but more recently, it was preserved and restored and became the [illegible] of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce. -Lowndes County, 2007 p. 116
  26. Photo of the room layout for both floors of the Barber-Pittman house.

Dates

  • Event: 1899-10-14 - 2015-09

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Extent

From the Collection: 4 Boxes

Language

English

Physical Storage Information

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Valdosta State University Archives and Special Collections Repository

http://www.valdosta.edu/archives/
Contact:
Valdosta State University Archives, Odum Library
1500 N. Patterson St.
Valdosta GA 30601 United States
7063728116
229-259-5055 (Fax)