McMillan-Garrison House
Why it's listed
Built around 1900 at 403 S. Washington Street in Clarkesville, this two-story wood-frame house is regarded as one of the largest and most impressive Queen Anne-style homes in the town. It has an asymmetrical form with cross-gable roofs, weatherboard siding on a brick foundation, paired sash windows, and sunburst patterns with cutwork in the gables. Inside, the rooms open off a central stairhall. The house was believed built by Robert McMillan, a local attorney and judicial figure, who later built another residence behind it. It passed to the Black family and then, in 1923, to physician W. H. Garrison, who altered the porch in a Craftsman style, added heat, and remodeled the interior in 1932. The grounds include a lawn, large trees, a semi-circular drive, and a 1930s masonry fountain and barbeque pit made by a local black craftsman. The property was recognized for its architecture, landscape setting, and local history.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of the largest and most impressive Queen Anne-style houses in Clarkesville. Its turn-of-the-century landscape and 1930s masonry fountain and barbeque pit, built by a local black craftsman, add landscape architecture significance. It is also tied to local attorney and judicial figure Robert McMillan and later to physician W. H. Garrison.
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 82002440, listed August 18, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 403 S. Washington St., Clarkesville |
|---|---|
| County | Habersham County |
| Listed | August 18, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002440 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Robert McMillan |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian / Queen Anne, with a Craftsman-style porch |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and used as a residence. |
| Acreage | 2.3 |
| Coordinates | 34.60446, -83.51959 (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 82002440.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134362780
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.