Home at 405 Texas Street

At 405 Texas Street in Vidalia stands an old brick office building that has been a quiet landmark in our community. Constructed in the late 1960’s this building was originally home to the businesses of John Dale Jr. and John Dale III. A prominent family, four generations of Dale’s have served as director for Concordia Bank & Trust, and John Dale III served as mayor of Vidalia from 1950 to 1960. The office building served as a home to the Dale’s business dealings in real estate, finance, oil and gas, law, and insurance. Dale insurance ultimately became Reed Insurance and moved just down the street where our friends continue to serve our community today.

The moment I walked in the door I knew this place was going to be home for Marling Surveying. The smell of old books and paper is reminiscent of any surveyor’s office, and it just felt right. Things seem to be mostly in their original form, and many fascinating artifacts have remained with the property. The old law library is mostly intact, books included. An original copy of the hand-drawn building blueprints, in perfect condition, were found in a cabinet. They tell the story of a building designed and built with care, intention, and purpose. We hope to reflect those qualities in our business. The building itself is in need of much TLC. We hope to restore things to their former glory over the coming years.

For now, those blueprints are framed and proudly displayed in the main hallway. Come visit us sometime and enjoy a small piece of Vidalia history. Or maybe you have some history that you can share with us? The coffee is always hot at 405 Texas Street.