Cave Spring Female Academy
Also known as: Garner House
Why it's listed
Built about 1850 on Rome Street in Cave Spring, this two-story brick building was constructed as the Cave Spring Female Academy, an educational facility for young women. It has a rectangular plan, a gable roof with flared eaves, two interior side-wall chimneys, a rear ell, stone lintels and wood detailing. The front facade is four bays wide and slightly asymmetrical. The Floyd County Board of Education bought it in 1890 and used it as a public school, and it has since become a private residence with a remodeled interior. Its exterior still keeps its original appearance. It is considered one of the oldest surviving schoolhouses in Floyd County and a good example of the plain, practical school buildings of mid-19th-century Georgia towns. Brick was not often used in that era, though it was common for academic buildings. Some of the academy's students were boarded at nearby country houses.
Significance in brief: It is considered one of the oldest surviving schoolhouses in Floyd County and a good example of plain, utilitarian mid-19th-century school architecture in Georgia towns. Its exterior keeps its original character, and its brick construction was unusual for the period but common for academic buildings. It also represents one of several small private schools in Cave Spring in the 19th century.
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 80001030, listed June 19, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Rome St., Cave Spring |
|---|---|
| County | Floyd County |
| Listed | June 19, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001030 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and in residential use; the interior has been remodeled into several small rooms on each floor. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 34.11197, -85.33310 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 80001030.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.