The fourth house on the right, 912 East Tugalo Street, has a suitably massive monument noting that it was at this house that Paul Anderson (1932-1994), the world's strongest man, was born.
Rev. E. Holman Kelley built the house in 1927. The granite needed for this construction was brought to Toccoa from Elberton on a train. The rock mason who constructed this house also built the Toccoa Congregational Holiness Church on Highpoint Avenue in Toccoa in 1928. Rev. Kelley, pastor of Zebulon Baptist Church, often married couples at his 912 East Tugalo Street residence. The pastor and his wife, Allene had a very large family, which filled the house with much activity.
Robert and Ethel Bennett Anderson moved to 912 East Tugalo Street with their young daughter, Dorothy, in April 1930. (The Bennett family was brought to Toccoa by Edward Schaefer in 1905 as Ethels father was hired to oversee Schaefers rock quarry.)
In 1932, the Anderson's welcomed their second child, Paul, who was born at home.
During the first several decades of this houses history, a large garden and barn with a cow stable was located in the back yard. In the early 1950s, Paul Anderson had a horse that was boarded in a back yard stable. During that same period, Paul turned a back bedroom, or as it was called in those days a sleeping porch, into a weightlifting gym and utilized the dirt floor basement and the side and back yard as his training facilities. He created his equipment from scrap collected from area junkyards. His sister recalled that daily he would even pick up his horse as a way to further increase his strength.
By 1955, this homemade strongman had become a world-class weightlifter, gaining such titles as World Champion and in 1956, Olympic Gold Medalist.
In 1961, Paul and his wife, Glenda Garland Anderson founded the
Paul Anderson Youth Home in Vidalia, Georgia.
In 1983, the citizens of Toccoa honored Paul Anderson by erecting a granite marker that stands in the front yard of the home.
Paul and Glenda Andersons only child, Paula, and her husband, Edward Schaefer, moved to 912 East Tugalo in 1989. Paula is the third generation of Andersons to live in this family home. Edward and Paulas three children are now the 4th generation to call 912 East Tugalo home.
The house has several unique features and plenty of Toccoa history found within it. The following is a glimpse into the home and its amazing history.
- All of the walls in the old (granite) part of house are the original plaster walls. Doors, doorknobs, hardwood floors, windows and fireplace are also all original.
- In the dining room is a Sheraton dining room suite purchased by Mr. and Mrs. R.T. Bennett of Toccoa in the early 1940s. The Bennetts daughter, Ethel Anderson, moved the furniture to 912 East Tugalo Street in the early 1970s. The dining room table, chairs, china cabinet, and buffet were all built by the Trodgen Furniture Company in Toccoa.
- Other Anderson family antiques found within the home include: a pocket watch which belonged to Robert Edward Anderson, a tapestry wall hanging dating back to 1931, a tuxedo arm sofa purchased in 1941 in Atlanta, a rocking chair that was used to lull baby Paul Anderson to sleep, and a wardrobe with inlaid design purchased in 1928, which survived a fire that destroyed an earlier Anderson residence on Currahee Street.
- The oldest family heirloom in the home is a sword and sheath, which was used in the Civil War by a Garland ancestor. Glenda Garland of Toccoa and Paul Anderson married in 1959. Her grandfather, Noah Lafayette Garland moved to Toccoa in 1893 and established one of the earliest livery stables and blacksmith shops and later a harness shop. By the early 1900s, he developed Toccoas first laundry and earliest coal and wood yard. Garland served many years as the Director of the Farmers and Merchants Bank. In 1905, Noah Garland was a Toccoa City Council member when Stephens County was established and Toccoa was named County Seat. He was elected to serve four terms as Councilman.
- A church communion silver service with two silver goblets was given to Edward Lamar Schaefer in 1988 by his grandmother, Orville Tyler Schaefer. This communion silver service was originally given to the Episcopal Church of Toccoa in the 1880s by Mr. and Mrs. Edward William Schaefer. During its early years, the Episcopal Church congregation met in the Schaefers home. The Schaefer's, charter members of St. Matthias Episcopal Church, donated the land for the first church. Schaefer, who moved to Toccoa from Baltimore, Maryland in 1873, served several terms as Mayor of Toccoa and numerous terms as a City Councilman. (He served along side fellow Councilman Noah Garland in 1914 and 1915.) Schaefer started the first telephone system in Toccoa and in the 1880s became owner of Toccoas early newspaper, "The Toccoa News". He also served as President of the Bank of Toccoa. This Edward Schaefer is the great-great grandfather of the children that now reside on Tugalo Street.
- Handmade tatting crafted into the shape of a cross hangs in a shadow box in guest room. Gladys Kelley Whiting, sister of the original homeowner, Rev. Holman Kelley, made the cross and gave it to Paula Schaefer in 1995.
Paula Anderson Schaefer is very fond of the home made famous by her father. She welcomes all to come and view the monument standing in the front yard. She has also allowed several elementary groups to tour the home. As she states, "I am always happy to share the story of my Father's life with others. My house is very dear to me because it holds timeless reminders of my precious Father's childhood and because of this, there is nowhere else in the world that I would rather raise my own children." The home is a private residence for the Schaefer family; however, if you are interested in a tour of the home, please contact Paula at (706) 886-4856 to discuss the possibility of a private tour.
Paul Anderson's Birthplace is located at 912 E. Tugalo St. From Tallulah Falls, take US-441 S/US-23 S/GA-15 S. Go approximately 7 miles and turn left onto GA-17 ALT towards Toccoa. Go approximately 10 miles to Tugalo St. Turn left onto Tugalo St. Turn left after Prather Bridge Road to stay on E. Tugalo St. (just under 1 mile). The house is on the right just past Rosedale St.
