National Register of Historic Places

McCranie's Turpentine Still

Willacoochee, Atkinson County, Georgia
Listed
June 27, 1976
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
76000608

About this property

McCranie's Turpentine Still is a historic site in Willacoochee, Georgia. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 28, 1976. It is located west of Willacoochee on U.S. 82. The McCranie family worked in the turpentine industry prior to 1900 and continued for generations. This turpentine still was built in 1936, based on designs and methods from earlier eras. It was operated by three McCranie brothers. It ceased operation in 1942 when the two elder McCranie brothers went to war. The replacement of the fire distillation process by steam distillation and the labor shortage caused by World War II contributed to its closure. The still remains largely intact. In 2026 it was added to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation list of "Places in Peril", because of damage from Hurricane Helene. National Register of Historic Places listings in Atkinson County, Georgia "Stills, Murals, & Mills", by Lynne Taylor, Georgia Backroads, Spring 2008, pp. 33-35. Media related to McCranie's Turpentine Still at Wikimedia Commons

Location

Willacoochee, Atkinson County, Georgia
31.36453, -83.06410

Categories

COMMERCECONSERVATIONINVENTIONAGRICULTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about McCranie's Turpentine Still

This page lists McCranie's Turpentine Still. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your McCranie's Turpentine Still report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Alapaha Colored School
Industrial
9.5 mi
Atkinson County Courthouse
Industrial
13.3 mi
63rd Army Air Forces Contract Pilot School (Primary)
Listed
14.8 mi
Eleventh District A & M School-South Georgia College Historic District
Listed
15.3 mi
Berrien County Jail
Industrial
15.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was McCranie's Turpentine Still listed on the National Register?

McCranie's Turpentine Still was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 27, 1976.

What type of historic resource is McCranie's Turpentine Still?

McCranie's Turpentine Still is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for McCranie's Turpentine Still?

The period of significance for McCranie's Turpentine Still is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near McCranie's Turpentine Still?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near McCranie's Turpentine Still will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Atkinson County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Atkinson County.

Explore AtkinsonCounty ›

More historic places in Georgia

Browse all historic places in Georgia.

View Georgiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Georgia history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Georgiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near McCranie's Turpentine Still will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report