Burke, Thomas C., House
Why it's listed
Built shortly before the turn of the twentieth century on College Hill in Macon, this brick mansion at 1085 Georgia Avenue was the home of Thomas C. Burke, a merchant the local newspaper named a 'Merchant Prince.' Its Queen Anne design features a corner tower with a cone-shaped roof and metal spire, a center dormer, bay windows, carved stone window heads, stained glass transoms, terracotta ornament and a slate roof. A rear addition more than doubled the house but repeated the original detailing. Inside, the dining room has a deeply coffered ceiling carried on fluted Corinthian columns, and the hall has oak paneling and a carved stair. A Victorian carriage house with a cupola and liveryman's quarters survives behind. Burke served on the County Commission and City Fire Commission and supported the founding of a city hospital and Pio Nono College. After his death in 1917, family members lived in the house until it became an antique shop.
Significance in brief: The form presents the house as one of the finest Queen Anne type houses in the country, citing a historian's praise and its largely Victorian detailing. It also honors Thomas C. Burke, a Macon 'Merchant Prince' who served on the County Commission and City Fire Commission and helped found a city hospital and Pio Nono College.
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 71000248, listed June 21, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1085 Georgia Ave., Macon |
|---|---|
| County | Bibb County |
| Listed | June 21, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000248 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date c. 1900) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as good and altered, on its original site. It was occupied by Burke's family until recently and then used as an antique shop. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Macon Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.84105, -83.63647 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 71000248.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q24197346
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.