{"nrhp_refnum":"72000374","name":"Davenport, Isaiah, House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"324 E. State St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Savannah","county":"Chatham County","state":"GA","lat":32.07742331800006,"lon":-81.08817032999997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1972-09-22","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["national"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A four-story brick house at 324 East State Street on Columbia Square in Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia, built between 1815 and 1820 by Rhode Island-born architect and master builder Isaiah Davenport as his own home.","why_significant":"The house keeps its original appearance and is noted for the simplicity of its exterior and the charm of its interior, including a free-standing circular stair and a double semi-circular entrance stairway. It blends Georgian, Regency and Greek Revival (Early Republican) elements. Its rescue from demolition in 1954 led to the founding of the Historic Savannah Foundation and sparked restoration of the surrounding neighborhood.","narrative":"Standing directly on the sidewalk facing Columbia Square in Savannah, this four-story brick house was built between 1815 and 1820 by Isaiah Davenport, a Rhode Island-born architect and master builder, as his own residence. Its plain, rectangular exterior is relieved by brownstone trim, tall paired chimneys and a double curved entrance stair with imported Italian iron handrails. Inside, a free-standing circular stair with a mahogany handrail rises through the house, and the drawing room has plaster cornices and hand-carved woodwork. By 1954 the building had decayed into a crowded tenement and faced demolition. Public protest led to the founding of the Historic Savannah Foundation, which restored the house and later opened it as a museum in 1963. The restoration encouraged renovation of nearby properties. Protective covenants now guard the building's integrity, and its basement serves as foundation offices.","period_of_significance":"1815-1820","architect_builder":"Isaiah Davenport","architectural_style":"Early Republican (blending Georgian, Regency and Greek Revival elements)","criteria":[],"status_note":"Restored in 1954 and opened as a house museum in August 1963; the basement houses the offices of the Historic Savannah Foundation, and the attic is left unrestored. Protective covenants govern any future sale.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:41.411709-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_GA/72000374.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/72000374/87e1240c9d-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/72000374/87e1240c9d-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0 us","author":"Cybersquire79","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Isaiahdavenporthouse2009.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Cybersquire79</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us/deed.en\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0 us</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Isaiahdavenporthouse2009.JPG"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"66000277","name":"Savannah Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/georgia/savannah-historic-district-66000277/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/93207286","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaiah_Davenport_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6078494"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/georgia/chatham-county/davenport-isaiah-house-72000374/"}