Goodes Community

PictureKeith Store
Primarily located the intersection of Hutcheson Ferry, Rico Road and Atlanta-Newman Road, Goodes
takes its name from “Uncle” Billy Goodes.

Early settlers in the area originally congregated just to the north, near New Hope United Methodist Church, in the 1850s. What is now known as the Goodes Community developed at the turn of the last century, around the local post office, which was established in 1884. J.H. Reeves was the first acting postmaster and Goodes office provided mail service until 1907. William (Tazie) O. Keith became postmaster in 1893.

Two years later, he deeded land for the construction of the Goodes School, a one-room schoolhouse that was enlarged in 1911. The school was later closed in 1932 and consolidated with Palmetto. The Goodes Community eventually grew to include two general stores, a cotton gin, blacksmith shop, a few syrup mills and a sawmill and planning mill. Unfortunately, most of these structures, including the school, have been lost over time.

Nevertheless, a number of historic houses in and around Goodes are still extant and many longtime
residents continue to live in the area.

The old Keith property (FU-70) (c.1890-1899) is a gabled ell, frame house located on at 8190 Rico Road. The original structure may have been a saddlebag house type that was reconfigured with an ell addition in the 1920s. The house is located on a large farm with pecan groves, orchards and horse fields, and it is believed that sharecroppers may have used the dwelling while working on the Keith family land. There are three outbuildings on the property, including a gabled, vertical board horse shed, a blacksmith shop, which was also used as a general store, and a more modern car garage. A sign welcoming people to Goodes is located on the Hutcheson Ferry Road side of the property.

The newer Keith House (FU-81)(c.1910-1919), located at 10395 Hutcheson Ferry Road, is a one-and-a –half story, side-gabled bungalow type and the Keith family may have moved into this residence prior to the additions made to the older house and property on Rico Road.Other houses in the immediate Goodes Community, include three central hallway house types built next to one another at 10340 (FU-84)(c.1900-1909), 10380 (FU-82)(c.1900-1909), and 10450 (FU-83)(c.1890- 1899) Hutcheson Ferry Road. A gabled ell frame cottage (FU-89)(c.1910-1919) with three outbuildings is located at 10500 Hutcheson Ferry Road and there are two Georgia cottage house types at 10555 Hutcheson Ferry Road (FU-90) and 8090 Atlanta-Newnan Road (FU-108) that both date to the 1920s.

Further to the east on Hutcheson Ferry Road, near the intersection with Capps Ferry Road sits the Old
Shell House (FU-86) (c.1900-1909) a gabled ell cottage and a framed, chicken coop outbuilding.

In addition to Goodes, there are a number of other noteworthy houses in the nearby surrounding area. The
Robinson House (FU-92) (c.1880-1889) at 10865 Hutcheson Ferry is a one-story, central hallway house
type with a side gabled roof. There is also a two-story, front gabled secondary dwelling (construction
date unknown) on the Robinson property as a well as a two-story, barn and a well house. This was the
home of John Pell Robinson, a farmer, who was born in Campbell County in 1868 and lived in the house
until his death at age ninety six.

Further to the west off of Hutcheson Ferry Road is the looping Hearn Road, where many descendants of
the Hearn, Wilson and Weaver families still reside. A particularly significant historic property is the
antebellum-era, Wilson House (FU-78) (c.1850-1859) located at 8475 Hearn Road. The building is a
Greek Revival style, plantation plain house type built by the members of the Weaver family who settled in
the area during the 1840s. It has a symmetrical façade, side gable roof and two, brick masonry gable end
chimneys. Gabled rear additions were made to the house in the 1940s and the original first and second
story porches were removed in the 1960s and replaced with the current porch that spans the full height of
the front façade.

Other notable examples include the central hallway house with Greek Revival elements (FU79) (c.1880-1889) type at 8503 Hearn Road and a double pen house (FU-75) (c.1890-1899) at 9990 Hutcheson Ferry Road and Hearn Road. Horses and cows still graze in fields along Hearn Road and all of the properties in the immediate area retain their agricultural character.

Just east of Goodes is the ca.1905 Barnes House at 10950 Hutcheson Ferry Road (FU-94). Now it is the Serenbe Bed and Breakfast. This New South Cottage house was the center of an 800-acre farm. A pecan
grove is located along Hutcheson Ferry Road. Barns and tenant houses are located throughout the
property.

The two main churches in the area are the New Hope United Methodist Church, established in 1843, and
the Sardis Baptist Church, established in 1875. Although the congregations are historic (1843 and 1875,
respectively), both church buildings replaced earlier structures on the sites and date from the early
twentieth century. The New Hope United Methodist Church (c. 1937) is located 7895 Atlanta Newnan Road. The Sardis Baptist Church (FU-97) (c.1927) at 8400 Sardis Road is a simple, vernacular style
frame and front gable structure with a central steeple and a symmetrical three-bay front façade. A large,
brick gabled addition was made in the rear of the church in 1970 and vinyl siding was added in 1980. The
congregation was comprised of members from Ramah Baptist Church in Palmetto. The historic cemetery
is located across Sardis Road and many people from the nearby Goodes and Redwine communities are
buried there including the Barneses, Ballards, Peeks, Phillips and Robinsons.
Above History is from South Fulton Scenic Byways - Historic Context By: Patrick Sullivan & Jessica Lavandier
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