Nahunta Jail

03-18-2010

The walls are dark, damp and dreary. The steel bars are cold and hard. Pencil scribblings cover the walls and are on almost every brick that appears to have been repainted several times over the years from occupants of the Nahunta Jail. Some seem to be looking for religion while others definitely are not. Most of the names that are written apparently had something to do with why they were behind these bars and are not highly thought of by their quotations. A few good artists have spent some time here with a cigar smoking pig with a star on his hat and chest on one wall with Jesus holding up his hand on another. Bugs Bunny, old hot rod car and a Georgia Bulldog sign grace the wall of another cell. Several hand written monthly calendars from 2007 with most of the days marked through are on one with bible quotes scattered throughout with one eye catching note in one of the womens cell - "I MISS MY SON!"

The two large cells have four steel racks coming from two walls for bunk beds while the smaller cells have two. There is one shower stall in the corner and each has one toilet sitting out in the open. No privacy here.

It seems only fitting that Trey Keene and his workers are cutting the steel out of the old jail. He probably don't remember his grandpa but Arthurs Liquor store was once a popular place right across the street. I use to work in a pool hall when I was 16 years old between the jail and the redlight and could watch Arthur sitting on his cement bench waiting for customers to stop in and take out a brown bag or two of their favorite beverage. He was a rather large man with a rather large moustache and rumor was that he would put a whole pack of Redman in his jaw at a time. Many of his regular patrons spent many a nights sobering up in the old jail across the street. Arthur and his store are gone now and so shall the old jail be.

The power has been cut off to the building and while I was inside taking photographs the wind blew the heavy steel door shut and I was almost in total darkness except for the little peep hole in the door. The sound of that door shutting sent chills up my spine as I could only imagine what that would sound like knowing this would be my living quarters for at least a little while.

My uncle Charlie passed away a few months ago and I know he spent quite a bit of time behind these bars. Several years ago he thought he had been in there long enough and decided to leave...... without permission. When he got to the county line he called the office of the jail and asked '

"Do you have Charlie Davis in your jail?"

"Yes we do" the operator replied.

"No you don't! I'm gone and will catch you later."

Which they eventually did.

I asked him before he died how he escaped and all he said was "spoon and a toothbrush. Made me a key."

I'm sure there are lots of stories about the old Nahunta jail that has been a part of Brantley Counties history that will never be known.

Here is a picture of the demolition of the Nahunta Jail and the latest issue of the Brantley County Magazine.

wayne

Getting got

03-09-2010

I've found out over the years that people at work will try out the new guy to see how he takes things. Sometimes called "getting got." One I just heard about last week was a new young supervisor from New Jersey was told by a worker that a part was needed - a stool sample valve. Supervisor went to the storeroom and ordered the much needed part and found out he had been "got." Don't think he was too happy.

On other jobs I've had people have been sent to the tool room for pipe stretchers, board stretchers, sky hooks and a hen way. When they go ask somebody what's a hen way the answer usually comes back "oh about 4 or 5 pounds."

A story was told about a man when he was new on a job many many years ago this old quiet black man that he respected and enjoyed working around supposedly had a daughter that could really dance. Several people kept telling this young man to tell ole Mo he wanted to see his daughter and he finally got up the nerve to ask one day.

He walked over to Mo and said "I heard your daughter can really dance like crazy. When can I come see her?"

Ole Mo was sitting on his bucket over in the corner, looked up at him and said "that ain't funny man, my daughter has polio and cain't even walk!" Jeff felt like crawling under the nearest rock and ran away from there in a hurry. Later on he found out none of it was true and he had been "got." Most of the time things are not that cruel.

One of the first days on the job for me I was told by a co-worker to go check the oil in a certain locomotive. When I opened the door to the engine compartment there was this huge cement block sitting where the engine usually sits. I knew right then I had been "got." I closed the doors back and when asked later how was the oil level I just said it was full. No need to get mad about it.

I'm doing a show at the Brunswick Hospital for the month of March and this picture is when things were being hung. The other picture is one I took at Zirkle a while back and am going to enter it in a photo contest in Valdosta in a couple of weeks.

wayne