Beasley House
Also known as: Dowis Residence
Why it's listed
Built in 1913, this one-and-one-half story frame house at 75 Grogan Street in Lavonia was the home of R. L. Beasley, who owned and operated a grocery store in the town's central business district, a few blocks away. The house has a central-hall plan, a high metal-covered hipped roof with four gables holding diamond-shaped attic windows, and a one-story porch wrapping two sides. Original one-over-one windows and the front door survive. Alterations include replacement wrought-iron porch posts, a partly enclosed rear porch, and removal of part of the hall wall in the living room. The house stayed in the Beasley family until 1964. It is considered significant for architecture as a plain but well-massed example of a Victorian-era house type found throughout the area, and for commerce as a typical home of the merchant class that grew rapidly around the turn of the century. The house is in good condition and remains a residence.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to R. L. Beasley, a local merchant who ran a grocery in downtown Lavonia, and it reflects the pattern of downtown merchants living within walking distance of their businesses. It is also a representative example of a modest Victorian-era house type common across the Lavonia area, with a central-hall plan, high hipped roof, multiple gables and wrap-around porch.
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 83000200, listed September 1, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 75 Grogan St., Lavonia |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | September 1, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000200 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Victorian-era, central hall plan |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and still used as a residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.43638, -83.10223 (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 83000200.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134305362
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.