Cheek House
Also known as: Rushton House
Why it's listed
Built in 1904 at 38 Hartwell Road in Lavonia, this two-story brick house was a wedding gift from local builder W. E. Stevenson to his daughter Josephine, who married Ben Cheek in 1905. The bricks came from Stevenson's own brickyard across the street. The narrow central-hall plan echoes the older I-house tradition, while a steep front gable adds a Gothic Revival touch. A two-story porch with brick end pillars and two wooden Ionic columns recalls Greek Revival design, and a one-story entrance bay carries a balcony with a balustrade. A kitchen and dining wing was added at the rear before 1932. The Cheeks lived here until 1932, when the property was sold to an insurance salesman whose family stayed until 1973. It was listed for its architecture, as a builder-designed eclectic house and the finest residence Stevenson built in Lavonia. It remains a residence today.
Significance in brief: The house is significant for its architecture, as an example of early twentieth-century eclectic residential design that combines a central-hall I-house plan with Gothic Revival and Greek Revival elements and Neoclassical-inspired Ionic columns. It is also tied to W. E. Stevenson, a brick mason who built many structures in the area, and it is considered his finest residential work in Lavonia.
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 83000204, listed September 1, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 38 Hartwell Rd., Lavonia |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | September 1, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000204 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Will Edgar Stevenson (W. E. Stevenson) |
| Architectural style | Early twentieth-century eclectic, with Greek Revival, Gothic Revival and Neoclassical elements |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as a residence; the house is described as in good condition, while a rear brick outbuilding and a wooden structure are in poor condition. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 34.43405, -83.10119 (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 83000204.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134305409
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.