Davis, John A., House
Also known as: Albany Little Theatre
Why it's listed
Built around 1853 on a small city lot near downtown Albany, this square, cubical brick house is an Italianate Villa with a hip roof, tall narrow windows, bracketed eaves and a projecting central tower. A Neoclassical portico with Corinthian columns was added in the first decade of the 1900s by Joseph Davis, son of the banker John A. Davis. Inside, a central stair hall is divided by a screenwall with an Ionic column. A plain brick theater was attached to the rear in the mid- to late-1960s without structural changes to the house. The property matters for its architecture, since Italianate residences and brick houses of the antebellum period are uncommon in Georgia. It also matters locally: Davis, who founded the First National Bank of Albany in 1886, lived here, and the house received Jefferson Davis in 1884. Later it served as a Masonic meeting hall before becoming home to the Albany Little Theatre in 1965.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an early and relatively rare example of the Italianate Villa style in Georgia, and an uncommon example of antebellum brick residential construction. Its Neoclassical porch records changing architectural tastes across generations. It is also significant locally as the home of John A. Davis, a prominent Albany banker and civic leader, and the site of an 1884 reception for Jefferson Davis.
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 80001014, listed October 16, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 514 Pine Ave., Albany |
|---|---|
| County | Dougherty County |
| Listed | October 16, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001014 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- |
| Architectural style | Italianate Villa with Neoclassical front porch |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as the Albany Little Theatre; the house was restored and the theater added in the mid- to late-1960s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.57823, -84.16044 (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 80001014.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6217622
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.