Houses of Heart Pine: A Survey of the Antebellum Architecture of Evans County, Georgia

Houses of Heart Pine - A Survey of the Antebellum Architecture of Evans County, Ga. Though small in number, the antebellum houses of Evans County provide some notable examples of vernacular rural architecture. Despite the existence of these historic houses, there has never been a comprehensive survey of them until now. Col. (Ret.) Pharris Johnson has completed a well-documented survey that is available in book form. The genesis of the project was a thesis Johnson completed while a student of historic preservation at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Johnson explained, "I've always been interested in architecture and local history. This project gave me an opportunity to examine building types, construction techniques, and histories of the families involved in building the houses." He commented further, "Since Evans County was formed from Tattnall and Bulloch counties in 1914, the pre-Civil War architecture of Evans is really that of its parent counties." Johnson, who lives on a farm in Bellville in Evans County, spent numerous weekends completing the field survey on the nine antebellum structures he found. His excellent book includes measured floor plans, results of extensive documentary research, and 229 illustrations. The book is published under the auspices of the Evans County Historical Society. It is available through Amazon.com and Bernie's Store in Bellville.


About the Author
Pharris Johnson's interest in local history led him to write five previous books on the subject. These include Evans County and the Creation of Ft. Stewart, Georgia; Under the Southern Cross - Soldier Life with Gordon Bradwell and the Army of Northern Virginia; Bellville, Georgia, The First Hundred Years; Houses of Heart Pine - A Survey of the Antebellum Architecture of Evans County, Georgia; and Tattnall County Deed Book D-E-F. He also co-authored Images of America: Evans County. Johnson served in the Air Force as a colonel and held logistics positions at base, headquarters, and Defense Logistics Agency levels during his 28-year military career. After he retired from the Air Force, Johnson served in leadership roles with the Savannah College of Art and Design at both the Savannah and Atlanta campuses. Johnson and his wife, Annie, live in Bellville, Georgia, where he serves as mayor.