Bellamy Historic District
Why it's listed
Along the Old Federal Road near Carnesville, Georgia, a string of farm complexes forms a rural community whose oldest building dates to about 1800. The Richard Bellamy log house, a two-room structure with half-dovetail canted logs, was built before the road itself and is the oldest house in this stretch. Later buildings include the 1886 John T. Stevenson House, the 1890 E.E. Coffee House with Queen Anne influence, and the 1907 Martin-Adams House, along with log and framed barns, a log corn crib and a potato house. Richard Bellamy settled here on a Revolutionary War land grant, and the community grew through the 19th century to include a store, a mill and a cotton gin. Cotton became the main crop, and farms were larger than typical for the area. Prosperity peaked early in the 20th century before the boll weevil and the Depression ended it. The district has 14 contributing and 10 noncontributing buildings.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant for architecture, agriculture, community planning and development, and exploration/settlement. It preserves an early settler's log house predating the Old Federal Road, along with farmhouses and outbuildings typical of north Georgia. It also shows a linear rural community that grew on cotton farming until the boll weevil and the Depression.
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 96001304, listed November 7, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | GA 51, approximately 2.75 mi. NW of jct. with I-85, Carnesville |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | November 7, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96001304 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | C. 1800-1946 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Queen Anne; Plantation Plain; Georgian Cottage; Double-Pen |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture, Community Planning and Development, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is single dwellings; the form describes some buildings as in excellent condition and others, such as the Richard Bellamy log house and E.E. Coffee house, as deteriorated. |
| Acreage | 200 |
| Coordinates | 34.36922, -83.36287 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 96001304.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q55605164
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.