Harris-Ramsey-Norris House
Why it's listed
Built around 1870 on West Lafayette Street in Quitman, this one-story frame house follows the central hallway cottage form: two rooms flanking a central hall, with a rear ell added soon after construction. Subdued Greek Revival details include a front portico with a steep pediment on four square posts, gable returns, and a central door with sidelights and a transom. Inside, the pine floors, walls, ceilings, moldings and four-paneled doors are original, and each of the four main rooms has a fireplace. A garage dating from about 1875 to 1900, a well and a wooden dog pen under the house remain. Richard Harris, a brick mason, had it built; it later passed to Maria Ramsey and then, in 1881, to the Norris family, who held it until 2005. It was listed as an intact, early example of its type in Brooks County, and it sits just outside the Quitman Historic District.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an excellent and intact example of a c. 1870 central hallway cottage with rear ell, significant locally in architecture under Criterion C. It is one of the earliest houses in Quitman and among the oldest central hallway cottages in Brooks County. It keeps its historic exterior and interior finishes and has changed little since construction.
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 08000832, listed September 5, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1004 W. Lafayette St., Quitman |
|---|---|
| County | Brooks County |
| Listed | September 5, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000832 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1870 |
| Architectural style | Other: Central hallway cottage type, with subdued Greek Revival details |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is a single dwelling; the house was recently rehabilitated, with added piers, upgraded electrical and HVAC systems, and repainting. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 30.78891, -83.56763 (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 08000832.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16994849
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.