Smith, Dr. Robert L. and Sarah Alberta, House
Also known as: Smith, Dr. Bob, House
Why it's listed
Near Sharpsburg in Coweta County, Georgia, this two-story I-house was built around 1835, probably by Mark Smith, as a hall-and-parlor dwelling. Within a few years a rear shed addition and a central hall were added, giving it a saltbox-like profile and a four-over-four-room plan. The frame is hewn pine timber marked with Roman numerals, set on granite piers, and the interior keeps hand-planed heart-pine walls, floors, ceilings, Federal-style mantels and cross-and-Bible doors. The two-acre property also holds a grain shed and smokehouse from about 1835, a well, two stone walls, two outbuilding foundations and a privy from the World War II period. The house is named for Dr. Robert Littleton Smith, a local dentist born there in 1853 who later farmed the land. It was listed for its architecture, as a rare intact I-house in Middle Georgia with an exceptionally high level of interior integrity. It was rehabilitated between 1993 and 1995.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion C for architecture as an excellent and rare surviving example of an early-19th-century Middle Georgia I-house. Its one-room-deep central-hall plan is intact, and its hand-planed heart-pine interior woodwork survives largely unaltered. The grain shed, smokehouse and other outbuildings add to the property's integrity.
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 96001139, listed October 18, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1262 Bob Smith Rd., Sharpsburg |
|---|---|
| County | Coweta County |
| Listed | October 18, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001139 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1835-1945 |
| Architectural style | Early Republic: Federal; Other: I-house |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; rehabilitated 1993-1995 with a new kitchen wing, rebuilt front porch and rebuilt cookhouse. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 33.38039, -84.64520 (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 96001139.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134289456
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.