County of building: Douglas County
Location of building: 6712 Broad St., Douglasville
Built: 1915
Original Occupant: J. Hutcheson, Attorney
Builder: John Butler
Current Occupant: Gumbeaux's a Cajun Cafe
The Person:
James Robert Hutcheson
Born: 8 Nov 1871
Died: 3 June 1954
Judge Hutcheson served as Solicitor General (now District Attorney) for the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit from 1911-1927. After that he served as a Superior Court Judge for the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit for 8 years.
"Colonel J.R. Hutcheson was nominated for mayor, having already served one term. He is a member of the law firm of Roberts & Hutcheson. He can here [Douglasville] when a mere school boy, and afterwards settled here permanently. He was graduated from Douglasville College in 1894, and in 1897 took the degree of bachelor of law at the University of Georgia." ~ News article from Douglasville Press
The Place:
"During the early 20th century, the central business district
continued to remain in the area of Broad Street and Church Street.
Broad Street and Factory (Church) Street were bordered by Cemetery
Avenue (Rose Avenue) and Campbellton Street. One and two-story
structures offered goods and services ranging from "general
merchandise" to banking, drugs, meats, hardware, barbering, cobbler,
dressmaker, millinery, harness shops, saloons, restaurants, Masonic
hall and county and city jails. There were two horse sheds, nine
general stores, one Masonic hall, two cobblers, two saloons, two milliners, one dressmaker, one meat store, three drugstores, one
barbershop (this building is still used as a barbershop), one carriage
depository, three paint shops, one bank, post office, city jail and
several vacant buildings.
"In 1911, the Farmers and Merchants Bank was built on East Broad
Street at the northeast corner of Campbellton Street by Dick and Dan
Butler. In 1915, Dan Butler also built the Hutcheson building on East Broad Street. W. C. Abercrombie was president of the new bank; R. M. Johnson was vice president, and R. E. Edwards was cashier. This bank failed in 1927 and was taken over by the Georgia State Bank. It presently serves as the home of the Douglasville Printing Company." ~ NRHP Nomination Form
"Circa 1915, Attorney Robert J. Hutcheson built this two-story brick building to house the U. S. Post Office and his upstairs law office. The Post Office was moved into the new building on the lower floor. Max’s café was also on the first floor" ~ Walking Tour of Douglasville