Taylor-Brawner House and Brawner Sanitarium
Also known as: Mary Taylor House; Taylor Farm; Dr. Albert Brawner House; Brawner Hospital
Why it's listed
On a 10-acre tract along Atlanta Road in Smyrna, Georgia, two buildings recall a long-running private psychiatric practice. The older is a one-story wood-framed house built around 1897 for Mary Taylor, with a central hall plan, weatherboard siding and a wraparound porch. Dr. Albert Brawner and his family moved in around 1922, and from 1960 to 1995 it served as hospital offices. The larger building, the Brawner Sanitarium, was completed in 1910 as a two-story frame structure with a pedimented portico and fluted Ionic columns. It opened with 25 beds, gained a masonry rear addition in 1914, and grew to about 100 beds by the 1980s. It was among the first private psychiatric hospitals in Georgia and treated alcoholism, drug addiction and other disorders. Its architect and builder remain unidentified. Both buildings have since been rehabilitated, one for events and one for city offices, within a public park setting.
Significance in brief: The sanitarium opened in 1910 as one of the first private psychiatric hospitals in Georgia and led in treating alcoholism, drug addiction and other disorders in the southeastern United States. The adjacent house was home to Dr. Albert Brawner, a prominent psychiatrist and resident physician, and later served as hospital offices. Together they document the Brawner family's medical work and the growth of a hospital campus.
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 12000149, listed March 27, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3180 Atlanta Rd., Smyrna |
|---|---|
| County | Cobb County |
| Listed | March 27, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12000149 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect and builder of the sanitarium not identified; Randall Brothers of Atlanta supplied construction materials |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival; Other: Georgian Cottage |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Health/Medicine |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both buildings have been rehabilitated: the house as an events facility and the sanitarium as city of Smyrna offices, classrooms and meeting space. The surrounding grounds are now a public park. |
| Acreage | 9.8 |
| Coordinates | 33.87538, -84.50706 (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 12000149.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.