Killingsworth Farm
Why it's listed
Built in 1895-1896 on Hartwell Road in Lavonia, this one-story frame house was the residence of J. S. Killingsworth, a signer of the city's original charter. It follows a central hall plan with a wing on the south side, a hipped metal roof topped by a square cupola, and a porch that wraps around the front and sides. Several alterations are noted, including replacement columns and an enclosed section of porch. Behind the house stand a smoke house, barn, shed, grape arbor and a later garage. The property was the center of a cotton farm of more than 100 acres worked by tenant farmers, with a fruit orchard near the house. It was listed for its architecture as a good example of the late Victorian houses typical of Lavonia, for its cupola, which is rare locally, for its place in turn-of-the-century cash crop farming, and for its link to a founder of the city.
Significance in brief: The house is a good example of the late Victorian housing that gives Lavonia its turn-of-the-century boom town character, and its square cupola is one of only two in the multiple resource area. It was the nucleus of a cotton farm worked by tenant farmers. It was also the home of J. S. Killingsworth, a signer of Lavonia's city charter.
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 83000210, listed September 1, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Hartwell Rd., Lavonia |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | September 1, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000210 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian; Victorian-inspired central hall plan house with craftsman-style porch columns |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and used as a rental; the farmland behind the house was divided off and excluded from the nominated area. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.43189, -83.09080 (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 83000210.
- 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.