Allen, Bona, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1911-12 at 395 Main Street in Buford, Georgia, this two-story house of cream or tan brick follows the Italian Villa Style, with a red-tile roof, bracketed overhang, granite trim and a three-arched entrance. Inside, a foyer with a large fireplace and open stair balcony forms a great hall, and oak paneling and floors run throughout. The grounds hold magnolias and oaks, terraced gardens, and original outbuildings including a well house, smokehouse, cookhouse, root cellar, carriage house, gardener's house and flower house. Atlanta architect Haralson Bleckley designed the house, and T.C. Wesley and Sons built it for tannery founder Bona Allen, Sr., whose sons financed it. Allen's tannery grew into a company making collars, harnesses, saddles, glue and shoes, and became the town's chief employer. The property was listed for its architecture, its rare group of surviving outbuildings, and its link to Allen and his son Bona Allen, Jr., who lived there afterward.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an outstanding Georgia example of Italian Villa Style and a surviving work of Atlanta architect Haralson Bleckley. It is also notable for its many intact outbuildings built with the house. It is tied to commercial history as the home of Bona Allen, Sr., whose tannery became Buford's major industry.
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 83000231, listed September 1, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 395 Main St., Buford |
|---|---|
| County | Gwinnett County |
| Listed | September 1, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000231 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific dates 1911-1912) |
| Architect / builder | Haralson Bleckley, Architect; T.C. Wesley and Sons, Contractors |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent and altered; the form notes no major changes except bathroom modernization, and the house retains its original boiler system, now converted to gas. |
| Acreage | 7.5 |
| Coordinates | 34.12387, -84.00006 (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 83000231.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85748153
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.