Main Street Toccoa’s Historic Plaque Program off to good start

The 2018-2019 series of Toccoa’s Main Street Historic Plaque Program has officially started.

On Thursday, the first plaque was unveiled and dedicated to the downtown building that formerly housed McNeely & Company, located at 27 East Doyle Street.

According to Main Street Manager Christian Hamilton “the building looks very much the same as it did when it was constructed in the early 1900s.”

The three-story structure is typical of the twentieth century commercial storefront, and features large bay windows on the second floor, and simple brickwork and windows on the third floor.

During the unveiling, Hamilton told WNEG News about the building’s rich history.

According to Hamilton, in the early 1900s, Robert William McNeely founded McNeely and Company.

McNeely would later coin the slogan “From the Cradle to the Grave,” encapsulating the services provided by the furniture and hardware story, the casket company, and the mortuary.

Hamilton adds that in the right light, the “McNeely and Company” lettering can still be seen above the entrance.

Today, the building at 27 East Doyle Street houses the X-Factor Grill and Cornerstone Restaurant, a downtown eatery and catering company.

Hamilton said one plaque will be unveiled each month, until all downtown buildings are recognized.

“Our Historic Plaque program currently highlights 49 plaques in downtown Toccoa. We also have one plaque up at Lake Toccoa, and all of the plaques during this current plaque cycle are going to be downtown. We are hoping to have all of the buildings downtown have a plaque on them. And then from there, we will probably move outward into the City,” he said.

Once all plaques have been installed, they will be added to Main Street Toccoa’s Historic Walking Tour Guide.

For questions regarding the Historic Plaque Program, contact Hamilton at 706-898-5777.