Lee, W. G., Alumni House
Also known as: Bartlett House
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Why it's listed
Located at 1270 Ash Street in Macon, this two-story frame house in the late Victorian style began as a one-story cottage and later received a second story and added ornament. Its porches wrap the front and sides with fretwork, turned spindles and a rounded corner extension, and a multi-gabled roof and double-pedimented entrance mark the facade. An iron fence and gate bear the name of Judge Charles L. Bartlett. Inside, plaster cornices, rosettes and recessed wood trim on the stairs remain. Bartlett served as Macon city attorney, state legislator, state senator and Superior Court judge before representing Georgia's Sixth District in Congress for twenty years. He sponsored the 1902 bill funding Macon's marble post office, and President Taft was entertained at breakfast in the house in 1909. Mercer University acquired the property in 1939 and used it for faculty apartments, an infirmary and a girls' dormitory. Redecorated in 1962, it now serves as the alumni house named for trustee Dr. W. G. Lee.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites the house as the home of Congressman Charles L. Bartlett, who served the Sixth District for twenty years and sponsored the bill funding Macon's marble post office. It also points to the elaborate porches and double-pedimented entrance as architectural distinctions. Dr. W. G. Lee, the Mercer trustee for whom the alumni house is named, is also noted.
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 71000260, listed July 14, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1270 Ash (Coleman) St., Macon |
|---|---|
| County | Bibb County |
| Listed | July 14, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000260 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1890's |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In good condition, altered, and in use by Mercer University as its Alumni Office and social center; redecorated in 1962. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Macon Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.83118, -83.64675 (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 71000260.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134086487
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.