The historic downtown district of Barnesville is notably one of the most charming aspects of life in Lamar County, and one of its icons is the Murphey Building on Zebulon Street. Its arched masonry and fascinating decorative grapes have adorned the city since 1884. The Murphey Building was built after the great Barnesville fire, a disaster that left the town destroyed almost in its entirety. The Murphey Building was one of the first signs of Barnesville’s resurgence, built by one of Barnesville’s greatest entrepreneurs, William R. Murphey.
Strategically placed facing the train depot, this was the first sight many visitors would see by rail, making it prime real estate during Henry Grady’s dubbed “New South Era.” Coincidentally, the Murphey Building would be the first visible sign of downtown Barnesville from the Ford Model A traveling south on the Dixie Highway, later U.S. 41 (Atlanta Street).
The Murphey Building has been under repair for quite some time now, but it is potentially in danger this morning after a speedy police chase ended with a vehicle crashing into its façade.
Late Friday night, March 7, a Griffin man by the name of Edward Scott drove a Chrysler sedan into the front of the structure. According to Chief Belinda Penamon, Scott was attempting to avoid a Georgia State Patrol license checkpoint. Scott proceeded to flee law enforcement at a high rate of speed on Atlanta Street, southward bound. When he approached the railroad tracks, Scott lost control of the vehicle and ran into the Murphey Building. He was transported to a local hospital, though Scott’s condition is unknown at this time.
After the fire of 1884, the visionaries of Barnesville used the tragedy as a launching pad to redesign the layout of its city streets. Like all historic districts in our neck of the woods, downtown Barnesville was designed for the horse and buggy, not the 21st century automobile. Perhaps this incident can lead Barnesville into a long overdue project—modifying the layout of some of our downtown arteries, starting with the awkward intersection of Zebulon, Atlanta, and Greenwood streets.
Once the most sought-after commercial real estate in Barnesville, the Zebulon Street corridor now struggles with traffic congestion, very limited parking, and hazardous pedestrian access. In recent years, property owners and innovators like Jonathan Anderson and MCJOTA Holdings have done an excellent job keeping these historic buildings occupied with quality tenants. However, downtown Barnesville’s “front door” has at times felt more like a revolving door for businesses, highlighting the opportunity and need for the city to implement strategic changes that preserve historic buildings and support local enterprises.
According to tax records, the Murphey Building is currently owned by SVP II-Murphey Building LLC, a group that has already invested much in structural repairs. Many in Barnesville hope to see this building saved and occupied soon.
Grant Turner is the editor of the Barnesville Buzz and an educator, coach, and writer based in Barnesville, Georgia. He shares stories that bridge community, faith, and personal growth. In addition to teaching and coaching, Grant is Director of Musical Worship and a Sunday School teacher at New Hope Baptist Church in Zebulon, Georgia. He lives in Barnesville with his wife, Haley.
