Adel in Cook County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)

SOWEGA Building

(Southwest Georgia Melon Growers Association Building)

— National Register of Historic Places —

SOWEGA Building Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, April 18, 2022

1. SOWEGA Building Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

This property
has been placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1930.

Location. 31° 8.206′ N, 83° 25.405′ W. Marker is in Adel, Georgia, in Cook County. Marker is on South Hutchinson Avenue (Georgia Route 41) just south of West 4th Street (Georgia Route 37/76), on the right when traveling south. Marker is mounted at eye-level, directly on the subject building, just to the left of the main south entrance. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 South Hutchinson Avenue, Adel GA 31620, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Old United States Post Office, Adel, Georgia (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Cook County Courthouse (approx. 0.2 miles away); Cook County Tornado of 2017 (approx. 0.2 miles away); Cook County (approx. 0.2 miles away); Cook County Veterans Memorial

SOWEGA Building Dedication Plaque image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, April 18, 2022

2. SOWEGA Building Dedication Plaque

(mounted just to the right of the entrance)
”What co-operation hath wrought”
Erected 1930
SOWEGA
Melon Growers
Association
Adel, Georgia
Chas. H. Cannon, President
E.A. Burdick, Vice President
J.J. Parrish, Secretary-Manager
R.E. Parrish, Treasurer
— Executive Committee —
W.P. Bryan • R.L. Groover
E.D. McRae • R.M. Allen
— Architects —
Daniell & Beutell
— Contractors —
Crockett & Spruill

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(approx. 0.2 miles away); Adel Lime Sink (approx. 0.2 miles away); Old Coffee Road (approx. 6.3 miles away); Reed Bingham State Park Bridge (approx. 7.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Adel.

Regarding SOWEGA Building. National Register of Historic Places #90000546. The Adel-Cook County Chamber of Commerce currently uses the building. It was designed by Atlanta architects Daniell & Beutell.

Also see . . .
1. SOWEGA Building.

The SOWEGA Building or Southwest Georgia Melon Growers Association Building (also known as The Watermelon Building) was built in 1930. It is three stories tall and made of red brick, built in a commercial style. It has a roof deck and a basement. It is made of concrete reinforced with steel. Terracotta trim accents the exterior. The base is finished in marble. It features unique green terracotta watermelons in terracotta lozenges in a broad diamond, which represent the SOWEGA trademark.

(Submitted on April 28, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. SOWEGA - Watermelon Building, Adel Georgia.

The South West Georgia (SOWEGA) Watermelon Growers
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, April 18, 2022

3. SOWEGA Building Markers
(National Register marker is mounted just to the left of the entrance • dedication plaque is mounted on the right side)
Association was a major regional marketing cooperative organized in 1921 to enable farmers to obtain the highest prices for their products. It was formed due to marketing needs for the non-essential, but ever popular, watermelons. The watermelon logo/trademark, found on the building, and all their official publications, was also placed on all the watermelons shipped. The cooperative also published a newspaper, The SOWEGA Standard, in this building.

(Submitted on April 28, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

SOWEGA Building (<i>terracotta detail</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, April 18, 2022

4. SOWEGA Building (terracotta detail)

(green terracotta watermelons in terracotta lozenges are visible between upper and lower windows)

SOWEGA Building (<i>northeast elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, April 18, 2022

5. SOWEGA Building (northeast elevation)

SOWEGA Building (<i>east/front elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, April 18, 2022

6. SOWEGA Building (east/front elevation)

Credits. This page was last revised on April 28, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 28, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 78 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on April 28, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.