Last week I had the opportunity to tour one of the oldest farms in DeKalb County, Lyon Farm, located at 4431 Lyons Road in Stonecrest, Georgia. The tour was a DeKalb Traveler program, made available to members of the DeKalb History Center and presented by staff from Arabia Mountain National Heritage Alliance.

In the late 1930’s, in the middle of the Great Depression and as the possibility of the United States entering World War II approached, they were concerned for their two oldest sons.  They didn’t know their four oldest sons would all serve their country. 

This photograph of Rehoboth School, constructed of granite in 1937, was taken that same year. The new school was one of those built by the Works Progress Administration or WPA.

Plans for the first branch office of Tucker Federal Savings and Loan were announced in the January 1965 Atlanta Journal newspaper. The article announced the location would be the corner of Briarcliff and Henderson Mill Roads and an opening date of June that same year.

James O. (Ollie) Wilson was born in Chamblee in 1896.  He registered for the draft on June 5, 1917 at the A-10 precinct in Atlanta.  Three months later he married Elizabeth Delong of Dunwoody and in July of 1918 he was inducted into the military.  Wilson began his training at Chamblee’s Camp Gordon but was soon sent to Fort Screven at Tybee Island, Georgia.

An August 5, 1956 Atlanta Journal newspaper article announced, “Shop Center Being Built on LaVista.” W. C. (Clyde) Shepherd, developer of the center said it would be open in September of 1956. For half a million dollars, 30,000 square feet of retail space was planned, including 800 parking spaces on ten acres.