Dearing Street Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Crane,Ross,House; Chase,Albon,House; Wilkins House; Ha
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Why it's listed
Dearing Street Historic District occupies a level ridge west of the university campus and downtown in Athens, Georgia, about half a mile on each side. Nearly all its houses, and all the old ones, are frame, typical of the Georgia Piedmont. Among them are some of the oldest homes in the city, such as the Rucker-Teague house, dating from about 1810-20, and the Lehmann-Bancroft-Land house of 1834, described as the oldest Greek Revival house left in Athens, with four two-story Doric columns and a pediment. Three large Italianate houses from the late 1850s and early 1860s, many cottages from the 1870s onward, and Neo-Classical Revival mansions along Milledge Avenue add variety. Residents included university professors and a chancellor, newspaper editors, mill owners, and two authors whose books describe 19th-century Athens. Two notable houses were lost to demolition in the 1960s, but the district retains much of its early character.
Significance in brief: The district contains several of the oldest houses in Athens, including the city's oldest surviving Greek Revival house (1834), along with Italianate houses, Victorian cottages and Neo-Classical Revival mansions. It was also home to university professors, editors, authors, businessmen and a chancellor whose writings and careers shaped knowledge of 19th-century Athens.
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 75000580, listed September 5, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Broad and Baxter Sts., Milledge Ave., and includes both sides of Finley St. and Henderson Ave., Athens |
|---|---|
| County | Clarke County |
| Listed | September 5, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000580 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate, Late Victorian Eclectic, Neo-Classical Revival and Neo-Georgian; predominantly frame construction |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition but altered; two significant houses were demolished in 1963 and 1965, and some houses have been restored. Uses are private residence and commercial. |
| Acreage | 62 |
| Coordinates | 33.95317, -83.38515 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 75000580.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q49482368
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.