Blackford-Gray House
Why it's listed
Built in 1883 for Dr. William T. Blackford, one of Graysville's first physicians, this one-and-a-half-story frame house in Catoosa County combines a Georgian Cottage plan with Queen Anne details. A central hall with staircase is flanked by two rooms on each side of each floor. Exterior features include a turret with bay windows and a spire, a spindlework porch with brackets, and two front-gabled dormers. Inside, nine fireplaces, stained glass in the front door, transoms, and consistent woodwork survive. A rear addition was made in the 1930s and remodeled in the 1970s. Blackford practiced medicine from the home, which hosted balls, weddings, and funerals. In 1916 it passed to merchant Charles A. Gray, a member of the town's founding family, and it stayed in his family until 1942. It is considered locally significant for its architecture and for the roles of these two owners in the community's early social history. It is the only Queen Anne house found in a 2005 county survey.
Significance in brief: The house is significant in architecture as an excellent example of a Georgian Cottage with high-style Queen Anne elements, and it retains its historic plan and many original details. It is also significant in social history for its first two owners, Dr. William T. Blackford, an early physician, and merchant Charles A. Gray of the town's founding family. Both shaped community life in Graysville.
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 07000247, listed April 4, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 319 Gray St., Graysville |
|---|---|
| County | Catoosa County |
| Listed | April 4, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000247 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1883-1942 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Queen Anne; Other: Georgian Cottage |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a single dwelling; the property includes one contributing house and three noncontributing buildings (two garages and a shed). |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.97730, -85.14263 (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 07000247.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134136102
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.