Church, Cornelius, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1915 at 304 N. Washington Street in Clarkesville, this one-story house was the residence of Cornelius Church, who designed and built it himself. Church was a leader in the community and a businessman, developer and builder, and he lived in the house until his death. Two of his major local enterprises, a gas station and a store, stand immediately northeast of it. The wood-frame house rests on a brick foundation and has a rectangular plan, a central hall, a hipped roof with clipped dormers, paired wooden sash windows in a Queen Anne pane arrangement, and a recessed front porch with square Doric columns. It is valued as a good example of early 20th century Georgian Revival design in a one-story form, a type that reflects the turn-of-the-century prosperity of Clarkesville. Its pressed metal shingle roof is virtually unique among the surrounding resources. The house is vacant and in fair condition.
Significance in brief: Architecturally, it is a good example of the early 20th century Georgian Revival style in its one-story form, a type common in Clarkesville that helps give the city its character. Its pressed metal shingle roof is virtually unique in the multiple resource area. Historically, it was the home of Cornelius Church, a prominent early 20th century businessman, developer and builder.
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 82002428, listed August 18, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 304 N. Washington St., Clarkesville |
|---|---|
| County | Habersham County |
| Listed | August 18, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002428 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Cornelius Church |
| Architectural style | Georgian Revival |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant, in fair condition; remains in the ownership of Church descendants. |
| Acreage | 0.7 |
| Within district | Clarkesville Downtown Square Historic District |
| Coordinates | 34.61453, -83.52513 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 82002428.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134360407
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.