Wharton-Trout House
Also known as: Broad Oaks
Why it's listed
Built in 1854 for Major Wharton of Virginia, this two-story farmhouse on Rome Street in Cave Spring is a simple, locally interpreted example of Italian Villa architecture. Its load-bearing walls are handmade brick, and it has a low hip roof, wide bracketed eaves, a rear ell and a front porch. The three-bay front has a central doorway at each floor with side and transom lights, and the interior follows a four-over-four plan around a central stair hall. These features reflect a transition from Greek Revival to Italianate styling common in rural Georgia, and brick construction of this kind is unusual in the state. The house is also notable as a merchant's home rather than a plantation, replacing an earlier log cabin on the site. Jackson Trout, an early Cave Spring settler and merchant who helped organize the School for the Deaf and served as justice of the peace, later owned it. Large trees, lawn and cleared hillside fields surround the house.
Significance in brief: The house is a vernacular version of Italian Villa architecture, showing a transition from Greek Revival to Italianate in rural Georgia, and its brick construction is unusual for the state. It is also significant as a merchant's home rather than a plantation house. It was the home of Jackson Trout, an early settler and merchant who helped organize the School for the Deaf.
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 80001065, 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 | 80001065 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa (vernacularized), with Greek Revival transitional features |
| Areas of significance | Other, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and currently used as a residence. |
| Acreage | 34 |
| Coordinates | 34.11442, -85.32848 (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 80001065.
- 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.