Sturges, Oliver, House
Why it's listed
Facing Reynolds Square in Savannah, this three-story brick townhouse at 27 Abercorn Street was built around 1812-1813 by merchants Oliver Sturges and Benjamin Burroughs, brothers-in-law and business partners. It is the only survivor of a pair of mirror-image houses; its companion was demolished for a hotel between 1911 and 1916. The house has a stuccoed ballast-stone and brick basement, brownstone lintels and sills, a Palladian window above the entrance, and a rear octagonal bay. A third story was added around 1850-1860. Inside are a columnar screen in the hall, paneled parlors and a decorated mantel. The lot was originally set aside for the colony's minister, and John Wesley lived there in 1736-37. Sturges helped finance the S.S. Savannah's 1819 transatlantic voyage. Historic Savannah Foundation saved the building from demolition in 1964 and placed preservation covenants on it.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a typical early 19th-century row house and one of only two remaining houses of a once-fashionable residential district around Reynolds Square. Its parlor is said to be where plans were made for the S.S. Savannah's transatlantic crossing, a venture Sturges helped finance. The lot was also the colonial minister's house site, where John Wesley lived in 1736-37.
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 71000271, listed July 14, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 27 Abercorn St., Savannah |
|---|---|
| County | Chatham County |
| Listed | July 14, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000271 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Oliver Sturges and Benjamin Burroughs (builders/owners) |
| Architectural style | Georgian townhouse (early 19th-century row house) |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Held for sale for restoration and used for tours; owned by Historic Savannah Foundation, which rescued it from demolition in 1964 and placed protective covenants on it. Listed as unoccupied. |
| Within district | Savannah Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.07932, -81.08990 (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 71000271.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q106317357
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.