Farmer, Neville and Helen, Lustron House
Why it's listed
Built in the fall of 1949 at 513 Drexel Avenue in Decatur, this one-story, side-gabled house is made of porcelain-enameled steel panels. The Farmers paid $10,000 for the Westchester Deluxe two-bedroom model, which measures 1,085 square feet and has a front bay window. It is one of 2,498 houses produced by the Lustron Corporation and one of 22 built in Georgia. Light yellow exterior panels, brown tile-like roof shingles, original aluminum casement windows, rounded corners, built-in steel furniture and sliding doors remain. Changes are mostly cosmetic, such as new central heat and air, replaced cabinets and carpeting over the original floor tile. The house was listed for its role in post-World War II prefabricated housing, when Lustron used enameled steel and dealer franchises to address a severe housing shortage. Its modern ranch plan and low-maintenance features also illustrate late 1940s domestic design. A nonhistoric tool shed stands at the rear.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an excellent, intact example of Lustron prefabricated housing, a post-World War II response to the housing shortage using enameled steel panels. It meets Criterion A for its link to postwar prefabrication and Criterion C for its modern ranch design and high-tech features. Because it is less than 50 years old, it was also justified under Criteria Consideration G.
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 96000211, listed March 18, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 513 Drexel Ave., Decatur |
|---|---|
| County | DeKalb County |
| Listed | March 18, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000211 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1949 |
| Architect / builder | Roy Blass and Morris Beckman - Illinois architects (designed prototype for the Porcelain Products Company, later renamed Lustron Corporation) |
| Architectural style | Other: Lustron |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Engineering |
| Level of significance | National, State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; retains structural and architectural integrity with minor alterations, including replaced kitchen cabinets, heating system and bathroom fixtures. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.77140, -84.30863 (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 96000211.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7004889
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.