Antebellum Dormitory & Residence in Georgia
Baptist Female College Dormitory | Randolph County, Georgia | c. 1852
In 1851, the Bethel Baptist Association decided to establish the Baptist Female College of Southwest Georgia at Cuthbert and Reverend Thomas Muse (1810-1895) was appointed as the agent for the purpose of collecting funds. This would be the first college for females in Randolph County and soon, Rev. Muse had raised $15,000 ($2,000 he contributed himself). He was made a trustee of the institution and in a short time, became President of the Board, a position he held for many years. Locally, he was called ‘Uncle Tommy’ and was well-known for his multitude of baptisms.
In 1852, Uncle Tommy had this house built, which began as a dormitory for students at the Baptist Female College. This large Greek Revival house has an attached balcony across the second story with central doorways on both floors.
The dorm was used for student housing until 1863 when the college closed because of the war. And although the school reopened briefly in the 1870s, this dorm was converted into private residences in the 1880s. During that time, the school was incorporated as a branch of Georgia’s University system, becoming the Bethel Agricultural and Military College. The school was destroyed by fire in 1901 but the old dormitory (turned private residence) still stands.
Referred to in architectural surveys as the Muse-Dews-Gay-Martin-Blaskow House, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of the city’s historic district in 1975 but has been empty since the 1980s.
