Folds, Eric Vernon, House
Also known as: Oak Mountain Academy
Why it's listed
Built in 1948 southeast of Carrollton, Georgia, this brick country house was designed by Atlanta architect Clement J. Ford for automobile dealer Eric Vernon Folds and his wife Inez. Its five-part Palladian plan, Flemish bond brickwork, rubbed-brick flat arches, and slate roof reflect the Colonial Revival "Williamsburg" mode. The attached three-car garage reflects Folds's business as a dealer of Ford, Oldsmobile, Chevrolet, and Cadillac cars. Landscape architect William C. Pauley prepared the 1948 grounds plans, and a brick guesthouse followed in 1949. Folds hoped to live as a gentleman farmer but died shortly after the house was finished. Oak Mountain Academy bought the estate in 1964 and used it as a school until 1997, with almost no changes to the main house. Southwire Corporation then owned it before deeding it to Carroll County in 2001. The house and guesthouse are vacant, and most original interior finishes survive.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be an outstanding Georgia example of high-style Colonial Revival design in its "Williamsburg" mode (Criterion C). It is also associated with Eric Vernon Folds, a prominent Carrollton automobile dealer and businessman (Criterion B, commerce).
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 05000902, listed August 24, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1575 GA 16, Carrollton |
|---|---|
| County | Carroll County |
| Listed | August 24, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000902 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1948-1955 |
| Architect / builder | Clement J. Ford (architect); William C. Pauley (landscape architect) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The buildings and site are described as vacant, owned by Carroll County, which plans to use the property for recreation. |
| Acreage | 25 |
| Coordinates | 33.67972, -85.03650 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 05000902.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.