Russell Homeplace Historic District
Why it's listed
This family compound on U.S. 29 at Russell, near Winder, Georgia, grew around a large two-story Four Square frame house completed in 1912. Judge Richard B. Russell, Sr., designed and built it, and added a small cottage and a guest house the same year. His son Robert built a two-story Georgian Revival brick house in 1928. The grounds also hold a family cemetery begun in 1938, a grape arbor, five historic outbuildings, a 1964 library and a 1967 memorial garden. One garage has a law office on its upper floor. The site matters chiefly for its owners. Judge Russell served as Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court from 1922 to 1938. His son Richard B. Russell, Jr., was governor of Georgia from 1931 to 1933 and a U.S. Senator from 1933 to 1971. He owned the main house from 1938 and is buried in the family cemetery. Despite the family's rise in power, its main home stayed modest.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant in architecture for its group of homes and outbuildings reflecting prevailing styles such as Four Square and Georgian Revival. It is also significant in politics and government as the home of Georgia Chief Justice Richard B. Russell, Sr., and his son Richard B. Russell, Jr., who was governor and a long-serving U.S. Senator.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 84000890, listed September 7, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | US 29, Russell |
|---|---|
| County | Barrow County |
| Listed | September 7, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000890 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1912-1971 |
| Architect / builder | various, unknown (main house designed and built by Judge Richard B. Russell, Sr.) |
| Architectural style | Four Square; Georgian Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in good condition and altered; used as private residences, with educational and museum uses also checked. |
| Acreage | 25 |
| Coordinates | 33.97604, -83.70450 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 84000890.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q49554956
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.