Fannin, Oliver P., House
Also known as: Turner House
Why it's listed
Built around 1850 for James Sanders, this wood-frame house on Cedartown Street in Cave Spring has an unusual form: a two-story octagonal center section under a conical roof, flanked by lower one-story wings with gable roofs and exterior end chimneys. A pedimented portico shelters the front entrance, which has a trabeated doorway with side and transom lights. The walls are covered in weatherboards, and a rear ell extends behind. The design is described as a highly vernacularized take on Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, with a central section that also resembles the mid-19th-century Octagon style, while the wings follow traditional building practices. It is apparently unparalleled in Georgia. The house is also tied to local education. Oliver P. Fannin, a teacher at the Hearn Academy and the first principal of the Georgia School for the Deaf, lived here, and it was later the home of Alfred J. King, principal of the Hearn Academy. It is currently used as a rental residence.
Significance in brief: Architecturally, the house is an idiosyncratic, highly vernacularized interpretation of Jefferson's Monticello, with an octagonal center that also echoes the Octagon style, and it is apparently unparalleled in Georgia. Educationally, it was the home of Oliver P. Fannin, first principal of the Georgia School for the Deaf, and later of Alfred J. King, principal of the Hearn Academy.
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 80001041, listed June 19, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Cedartown St., Cave Spring |
|---|---|
| County | Floyd County |
| Listed | June 19, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001041 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Vernacular interpretation of Jefferson's Monticello with Octagon style influence |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as current use: rental/residence. |
| Acreage | 3.8 |
| Within district | Rolator Park Historic District |
| Coordinates | 34.10463, -85.33682 (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 80001041.
- 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.