Franklin House
Also known as: Old Athens Hotel; Athens Hardware Company
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Why it's listed
Franklin House is a three-story brick building on the corner of Broad and Thomas Streets in Athens, Georgia. Maj. William L. Mitchell, a University of Georgia trustee, bought the site at auction in 1843 and built it about 1845-47 with shops on the ground floor and hotel rooms above. The structure grew in three stages and includes a large second-floor ballroom. Its design combines Federal and Greek Revival details, including a fine central doorway with anthemion pilasters, while a cast-iron storefront was added around 1870. As a leading hotel in a university town, it hosted figures such as Howell Cobb and Alexander H. Stephens, served as a Whig political headquarters, and housed civic groups like the Masonic lodge. From 1865 the Childs-Nickerson Company, later Athens Hardware Company, occupied it for over a century until 1972. The building was empty when nominated and remains a local landmark.
Significance in brief: It illustrates the social and commercial history of Athens from 1845 to 1972, serving as a prominent hotel and gathering place in the ante-bellum period. Architecturally it shows Federal and Greek Revival influences and an 1870 cast-iron storefront adapting the building to commercial use. It also remains a landmark reflecting the scale and mass of 19th century commercial buildings.
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 74000667, listed December 11, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 464-480 E. Broad St., Athens |
|---|---|
| County | Clarke County |
| Listed | December 11, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000667 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th century; specific date 1845-7 (history discussed 1845-1972) |
| Architect / builder | Maj. William L. Mitchell (original builder) |
| Architectural style | Federal and Greek Revival, with a cast-iron front c. 1870 |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Politics/Government, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as empty, with the last occupant (Athens Hardware Company) having moved out in 1972; condition marked deteriorated and altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Downtown Athens Historic District (Additional Documentation, Boundary Increase II and Boundary Decrease) |
| Coordinates | 33.95785, -83.37636 (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 74000667.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q1445253
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.