Swanton House
Why it's listed
Swanton House is a modest 1 1/2 story Plantation Plain dwelling in Decatur, Georgia, with a central hall and four main rooms. Its oldest portion is a log structure reputedly built in the 1820s by early settler Ammi Williams. In 1852 Benjamin Franklin Swanton, a New Hampshire native who became one of Decatur's leading industrialists, bought the house and added rooms, an interior fireplace and a one-story front portico. His businesses included a cotton gin, sawmill, gristmill, brickyard, tanyard and machine shop. In July 1864 the house served as headquarters for General Thomas W. Sweeney of the Federal Army of the Tennessee during the advance toward Atlanta. Threatened by urban renewal in 1968, it was moved a few hundred feet to land once owned by the Swanton family, then restored to its c. 1850 look using structural evidence, family recollections and an early watercolor. It is listed as the oldest surviving building in Decatur.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the oldest extant building in Decatur and the most important surviving building tied to the city's early history. It is a fine example of Plantation Plain style and is linked to the Swanton family, who were prominent industrialists. It also served as Federal army headquarters during the Civil War in July 1864.
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 78000977, listed August 30, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 720 Swanton Way, Decatur |
|---|---|
| County | DeKalb County |
| Listed | August 30, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78000977 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Ammi Williams |
| Architectural style | Plantation Plain |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Military, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Moved in 1968 to avoid urban renewal demolition and restored to its c. 1850 appearance; owned by the DeKalb Historical Society. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.77214, -84.30515 (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 78000977.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q39054288
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.