Mule Day Museum Time Warp
The Mule Museum building was built about 1850 by Mr. J. J. Higdon on his property a few miles north of the present location of the building. Originally it was the Higdon Commissary, a general store that would have stocked goods such as coffee, nails and metal items that would be needed by people in the area. It offered an opportunity for area farmers to trade eggs, potatoes and cane syrup for salt or fancy cloth such as gingham.
In June 1869, a post office was established in the Hidgon Commissary, with Harrison Fairbank as postmaster. By the 1880's, mail arrived twice weekly from Whigham on Wednesdays and Saturday at mid-day. The postmaster collected postage from the recipient when mail was picked up.
Our Mule Museum has several items that hint of life in those days of 1850 or earlier. The display includes a "spider" - an iron skillet on legs. Originally, it had a lid with a rim, so that hot coals place under the pan and on the lid could make an oven for "baking a cake". There are photos which include a few people who lived in the area before 1850 and there are farm implements, as well as the "addresograph" and kitchen items that date from 1900 or after.
The Calvary area was well known for the agricultural products produced by the residents. Hard work and mules were the foundation of the prosperity of this region.
For more than 180 years, families of the Calvary area have continued the traditions of the community. If you are interested in knowing more or volunteering to help with the museum operation, please email us.
Dr. Maxwell Office Museum History
The Dr. Maxwell Office Museum was used by Dr. C. H. Maxwell as his office from 1901 to 1964. Dr. Maxwell of course made house calls and serve four counties in two states, Grady and Decatur counties in Georgia as well as Leon and Gadsden counties in Florida.
For years, the building that had been used by Dr. Maxwell as his office, and later moved to the Mule Day Grounds, had been closed due to its deplorable condition. The Calvary Lions Club, has a desire to preserve the history of the building and the memory of the owner and hopefully one day bring it back to a condition that would allow its reopening.