Dutton-Waller Raised Tybee Cottage
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1938 on Tybee Island, Georgia, this two-story wood-frame cottage is a raised Tybee cottage, a beach house type developed for middle-class families visiting the resort island near Savannah. The main living space sits on the second floor above wood posts, with screened porches on two sides, a front-gable roof, and exterior stairs at front and rear. The ground level holds an auto stall, servant's quarters, and a bath and changing room behind lattice. Inside, the original unpainted heart-pine paneling and bungalow-style plan survive. Edward A. Dutton built it as a speculative investment, and real estate investor Blanche S. Waller bought it in 1940. It was altered in the 1950s and 1960s, then rehabilitated to remove later siding and porch changes. It was listed for its architecture and for representing the first period of intensive resort development on Tybee Island, at a time when few intact examples of this house type remain.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an excellent, intact example of the raised Tybee cottage, a beach house type unique to Tybee Island and designed for middle-class families. It also represents the first period of intensive resort development on the island. Many such cottages have been demolished, making surviving examples rare.
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 08000711, listed July 24, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1416 7th Ave., Tybee Island |
|---|---|
| County | Chatham County |
| Listed | July 24, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000711 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c.1938 - 1958 |
| Architectural style | Other: raised Tybee cottage |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development, Entertainment/Recreation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single dwelling; rehabilitated after 1950s-60s alterations, with nonhistoric siding and porch elements removed. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 32.51661, -80.85290 (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 08000711.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5317548
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.