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December 1935. "Coca-Cola shack in Alabama." Photograph by Walker Evans. Back in the 1930s just about any building or barn was like a Web site -- you could rent out the blank spaces for banner ads (in this case for the circus in Montgomery). View full size.
My guess is that the two chimney represent old tenant houses, or perhaps a different kind of house. The bricks do not appear to be scorched, so I think we can cross Ole Sherman off the list! Houses or house was probably razed when the occupants left. We have a lot of these chimneys in North Florida. Just random-like in the woods.
Looks like the horses left their deposits.
When I was a kid in 1940s central California we had several stores like this still open for business... Scary looking back
The chimneys are probably a result of the "Great Depression" when burned down houses and such were not rebuilt. If the owner was insured (not likely) they would take the money and the next train out of town. If not insured, most had no means to rebuild as there was no credit available and no money outside of the wealthy classes.
Don
Could be the result of Sherman's lesser-known "March to the Gulf."
It's possible, but then again, this was taken in Alabama, not Atlanta.
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