Lee, Agnes, Chapter House of the United Daughters of the Confederacy
Why it's listed
Built in 1916 at 120 Avery Street in Decatur, Georgia, this one-story frame building served as the meeting house of the Agnes Lee Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Architect Wilson A. Gosnell, then working in the Atlanta office of Walter T. Downing, designed it in the Colonial Revival style, with weatherboard siding, brick piers, a symmetrical facade and an unusual front portico with a wavy roof. Inside, a large meeting room with a fireplace opens to a kitchen, powder room and reception room. The chapter, organized in 1901, raised about $2,500 for construction on a lot donated by a member's husband. Over the years it hosted veterans, a state convention reception and wartime gatherings. The nomination presents it as an architecturally fitting neighborhood building and as the only known chapter house built specifically by and for a chapter of the organization on land given for that purpose. The chapter still meets there.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a good example of Colonial Revival design adapted to a functional meeting house that fits its residential neighborhood. It is also an early work of architect Wilson A. Gosnell. Socially, it housed a local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and is described as the only known chapter house built by and for a UDC chapter on land donated for that purpose.
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 85001621, listed July 25, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 120 Avery St., Decatur |
|---|---|
| County | DeKalb County |
| Listed | July 25, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001621 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | Wilson A. Gosnell, architect |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and used as a club house; the form reports no known changes to the building and says the chapter still meets there. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Winnona Park Historic District |
| Coordinates | 33.77091, -84.29008 (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 85001621.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134296292
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.