Donehoo-Brannen House
Also known as: Donehoo--Brannen--Nesmith House
Why it's listed
Built in 1917 at 332 Savannah Avenue in Statesboro, this red brick Neoclassical Revival house rises two and a half stories above a partial basement. A two-story semi-circular portico with fluted Corinthian and Doric columns marks the front, and the roof is Pennsylvania slate with oval dormers. Inside are tiger oak floors, pocket doors, a curved staircase, prism glass windows and a built-in oak refrigerator. Architect Edward C. Hosford, known for courthouse designs in Georgia and Florida, planned it, and J. B. Sargent built it. The house was the home of Dr. James E. Donehoo, a physician and businessman involved in an oil mill, a railroad charter and a grocery. After the family lost it to a tax sale in 1932, it served as a boarding house, apartments and, in 1940, a National Youth Administration training school. Irvin A. Brannen bought it in 1942. Most original materials survive, and it was restored in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Significance in brief: The house is an excellent, largely intact example of Neoclassical Revival architecture designed by Georgia architect Edward C. Hosford. It is also tied to Statesboro's commercial history through original owner Dr. James E. Donehoo, and to New Deal government history because it served as a National Youth Administration training school in 1940. Later owner Irvin A. Brannen, a farmer, businessman and former legislator, kept it a center of social and civic life.
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 95000826, listed July 7, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 332 Savannah Ave., Statesboro |
|---|---|
| County | Bulloch County |
| Listed | July 7, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000826 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1917-1945 |
| Architect / builder | Edward C. Hosford & Co., Eastman, GA, architect; J. B. Sargent, Statesboro, builder |
| Architectural style | Late 19th Century/Neo-Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; restored in the late 1980s to early 1990s. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Within district | Savannah Avenue Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.44306, -81.77110 (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 95000826.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5295644
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.