Watts, George T., House
Also known as: Nicholson Home
Why it's listed
This one-story frame house on Love Street in Cave Spring, Georgia, was built in 1859 for Dr. George T. Watts; the narrative gives 1858. It has a T-shaped plan, cross-gable roofs, three tall chimneys, front and side porches and a side bay window. The walls are weatherboard over a wood frame on brick piers, with a metal roof. Its design is generally Italianate, with brackets, bay windows and asymmetric massing. Gothic Revival influence shows in the articulated chimneys, and Eastlake scrollwork appears on porch brackets and in the gable peaks. Some exterior details were added in the late nineteenth century. The house sits on high ground in a neighborhood of non-historic homes, away from the older residential area to the north, and illustrates unplanned town growth. It also represents the in-town dwellings of the professional class: Watts and a later owner, Dr. James D. Thompson, were both physicians in Cave Spring. It is in fair condition and used as a rental residence.
Significance in brief: The house is cited for its architecture, a mix of Italianate, Gothic Revival and Eastlake influences typical of small-town building practice. It is also noted for community planning and development as an isolated house on a secondary street, and for local history as an in-town home of the professional class, occupied in succession by two doctors.
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 80001063, listed June 19, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Love St., Cave Spring |
|---|---|
| County | Floyd County |
| Listed | June 19, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001063 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (built by Dr. George T. Watts) |
| Architectural style | Victorian-eclectic (generally Italianate with Gothic Revival and Eastlake influences) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Fair condition; current use listed as rental/residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.10629, -85.33993 (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 80001063.
- 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.