A brief, opinionated history lesson
by Sissi Garvey
October 30, 2004

Photos shot at the Historic Thronateeska Heritage Plaza located in 100 block of West Roosevelt Avenue in Albany, Georgia.

Heritage Plaza is the only remaining cobblestone street in Albany, Georgia. The railroad track running through it leads to the old Train Depot, which now houses the Thronateeska Museum. Currently, no passenger trains stop in Albany. The green building on the left is The Albany Journal. In its glory days, The Journal was owned by "Wild Man" Bill Davis. For sixty-four years, The Journal was known for its scandalous headlines and gutsy investigative reporting. 

Next to The Journal are the charred remains of "The Speak Easy" -- a nightclub once owned by Journal Editor/Publisher Bill Davis. In the late1970's, a small fire started by an arsonist was extinguished by the Albany Fire Department. It is believed that the arsonist was the subject of a recent news story published in The Journal. The fire re-ignited during the night. The next morning, only smoking piles of ash and sooty brick walls remained.

Off in the distance, on the corner of Washington Street and Roosevelt, is the Drey Line. You can hire day-laborers there until around noon. These photos were taken on a Sunday evening in November. There are no day-laborers looking for work on Sunday and few cars on the streets.