Early Hill Plantation
Why it's listed
Early Hill Plantation is a large frame house on a ridge crest near Greensboro, Georgia, begun around 1820 and reworked in the 1840s. It combines a Georgian central-hall plan with Greek Revival details, including six-over-six windows, a transomed front door and an unusual staircase whose rear landings are not attached to the wall. A well house, a rock-lined dairy pit and traces of old lanes and farm roads survive on the 23 acres. The place matters for its link to Joel Early, Jr., who owned about 2,200 acres and 60 slaves by 1850. In 1827 he began corresponding with the American Colonization Society, and in 1830 he sent thirty of his slaves to Liberia. This accounted for nearly a third of Georgia-based slaves sent there between 1820 and 1833. The plantation left private hands in 1890, after the Warner family of New York, and was later subdivided. The house survives as the best remaining evidence of Early's story and of antebellum building in the county.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be an intact antebellum plantation house with a Georgian-type central-hall plan and Greek Revival details, including an unusual free-standing stair. It is also tied to Joel Early, Jr., who in 1830 sent thirty of his slaves to Liberia through the American Colonization Society. The nomination calls it the only known Georgia plantation where the owner took part in this effort and the house survives.
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 97000559, listed June 13, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Lickskillet Rd. 0.5 NE of US 278, Greensboro |
|---|---|
| County | Greene County |
| Listed | June 13, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000559 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1820s-1890 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Early Classical Revival; Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black, Social History, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Private residence, also used as a hotel; the main house is described as well maintained, with some later changes such as a rear kitchen addition and a front terrace. |
| Acreage | 23 |
| Coordinates | 33.58787, -83.21644 (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 97000559.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107000227
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.