Ellis, Rutherford and Martha, House
Also known as: Loblolly Hill
Why it's listed
Set far back from West Wesley Road on a wooded hill in Buckhead, this one-story frame cottage was completed in 1939 for Rutherford and Martha Ellis, who called the site Loblolly Hill. Atlanta architect Philip Trammell Shutze, of Hentz, Adler & Shutze, based the design on a 1770 house in Wiscasset, Maine, known from photographs in The White Pine Series of Architectural Monographs. The house has weatherboard siding, a brick foundation, a central chimney, five symmetrical front bays and 12-over-12 windows with shutters. Inside are Philippine mahogany paneling in the library, beamed ceilings and original plaster. The house is valued as an intact Colonial Revival work by a master known mainly for grand neoclassical estates. It is also recognized for Rutherford Ellis, an insurance and real estate executive, philanthropist and national chairman of the American Cancer Society. The period of significance runs from 1939 to 1959. A detached garage and rear studio are noncontributing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an excellent, intact example of Colonial Revival architecture and the work of master architect Philip Trammell Shutze, adapted from a 1770 Maine house. It is also significant locally in social history for its association with businessman and philanthropist Rutherford Ellis.
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 09000269, listed May 6, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 543 W. Wesley Rd., NW, Atlanta |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | May 6, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000269 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1939-1959 |
| Architect / builder | Shutze, Philip Trammell - architect; Means, James ("Jimmy") - draftsman; Van Winkle and Company - builders |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is single dwelling; the house remains largely intact, with a 2007 rehabilitation that added rear dormers and expanded the attic space. |
| Acreage | 3.6 |
| Coordinates | 33.83176, -84.40542 (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 09000269.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14686814
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.