The 7th largest city in the state. Wikipedia says it had 41K souls in the 2010 census, and 36K in the 2018 census. That's quite a drop. 

As I’ve said, I clipped these long ago. Probably a year or so ago. I haven’t looked at them since.

I always appreciate a town that restores these. Or rather the building owners who do so.

But.

The end effect is always off, somehow, because we know they shouldn’t be clean and bright and new. I think we prefer them to be faded.

Classic T-sign:

I’ve no idea if that’s what the signs were called.

“I’m paying for this building, Mr. Architect, and you’ll put the windows where I want them.”

Steam feed?

Boy, the local motels are really making sure the guests are safe:

This is unusual. Not to say it’s good, just unusual.

You don’t find many county courthouses that have this peculiar mix of severity and remnant classical details. It’s as if it wanted to be more modern than it is, but lacked the nerve.

Hotel? It lacks the tell-tale detail, the tiny bathroom window. But a hotel it was.

My notes say it’s a county building now. Get this:

"Historic records indicate the Lamar Hotel was built in 1927 by Sam and Joey Meyer, successful grocers, on the corner of 5th Street and 21st Avenue – an eleven-story skyscraper. The hotel was named after Lucius Quintus Cincinatus Lamar II, a former U.S. Senator, cabinet member, and member of the Supreme Court."

Lucius Quintus Cincinatus Lamar the second. One wasn't enough.0 Here's some info on Luke #1:

His younger brother was Mirabeau Buonaparte Lamar, who became known for fighting for the independence of the Republic of Texas and was elected as its second president.  Their family was well-connected in Georgia and the South; first cousins Gazaway Bugg Lamar and his brother G. W. became bankers in Augusta, Savannah, and New York City.

GAZAWAY BUGG.

Ravaged old vet here:

All those garage doors. Was it originally more genteel retail, and was repurposed as the neighborhood shifted?

ULMER.

A bracing glass of cold water:

The Nimes Temple, updated. Looks like a Yamasaki, but no. Built by R.B. Clopton, a local.

I like it.

Well. . . that’s different.

Not the most elegantly proportioned structure. "Sorry, the floors with the best views are only for people under five-foot-six."

HOLY HANNAH

I thought “phone switching building,” because it has no windows, but it seems like a lot.

But it’s all parking.

What’s upstairs on top, that’s the question.

It’s a bit of a misfire and a jumble, but you have to appreciate the high spirits.

It tried!

A strange mid-century quasi-“classical” building with Moderne heritage.

Every city should have one. Minneapolis does, and it’s 5X bigger.

No retail outlet would give away the corner like that.

And as I always say: every downtown should have a 30s rounded-corner building to remind them of that era and its aesthetics.

Under restoration, and that’s good!

It’s a not uncommon style - stone on the ground floors, brick above - but it didn’t always work well with the Moderne aesthetic, if you ask me.

The ethos of the ground floor seems to be at war with the traditional elements of brick above.

But that's a small complaint.

Moderne, yes, but this?

Pure Art-Deco. That’s the real thing.

Oh, I think it’s taller than that.

The Temple, you say? What movie theater was ever named the Temple?

One built by Masons. Originally used for Shriners, and now it’s a movie theater. An inversion of the usual order.

I just adore this period of American Architecture. Rigorously rational and also full of goofy whimsy.

Ah: that’s the phone company.

The most rote gummint building ever, and that’s fine; every city had one. They tied the towns together.

Our parting look.