The middle Georgia area—including Baldwin, Hancock, Jasper, Johnson, Putnam, Washington, and Wilkinson Counties—is a vast living museum of classic southern architecture. First published in 1972, this sweeping survey remains one of the best books on the topic, covering primitive, Gothic, Greek Revival, and Victorian styles, and beyond.


John Linley’s descriptions of the diverse structures of the Oconee area are illustrated with more than three hundred photographs and representative floor plans. Fine architecture, as Linley shows, is greatly influenced by climate and geography, by the natural resources of the region, and by history, custom, and tradition. He considers these major factors along with such individual features as green spaces—gardens and parks—and town and city plans, viewing the architecture in relation to the whole environment.


The architecture is discussed in chronological order by style and is related to the surrounding country, with each of the seven Oconee area counties presented historically and in terms of its own resources. Touring maps of the counties and the principal towns locate all structures and points of interest mentioned in the text.