Skelton, Alexander Stephens, House
Also known as: Balback Residence
Why it's listed
This one and one-half story frame house at 214 Athens Street in Hartwell was built around 1918 for Alexander Stephens Skelton and his wife Caroline. Skelton was a lawyer who served as Solicitor General of the Northeast Georgia Judicial Circuit, and Caroline taught school. Will Temple built the house from pattern book plans supplied by Atlanta architect Leila Ross Wilburn. It shows Craftsman and Bungalow features: low massing, a broad gable roof, wide eaves, and a front porch with squat Tuscan columns on brick piers that extends to form a car port. Inside, rooms open onto a central entry and stair foyer. Boxed cornices and short porch columns are unusual for the style. The property also keeps early 20th century landscape elements, including rock walls, concrete garden forms, a paved drive, and mature plantings, along with a historic garage. It was listed for its architecture, its landscape, and its link to the Skelton family's civic life in Hartwell.
Significance in brief: It is a good local example of Craftsman/Bungalow domestic architecture, with low massing, a broad gable roof, and a wide front porch with squat Tuscan columns. It is also tied to architect Leila Ross Wilburn and the Temple family of builders, retains early 20th century landscape features, and reflects the civic life of the Skelton family in Hartwell.
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 86002050, listed September 11, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 214 Athens St., Hartwell |
|---|---|
| County | Hart County |
| Listed | September 11, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002050 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Leila Ross Wilburn (pattern book design)/Temple family (contractors); Will Temple built the house |
| Architectural style | Craftsman/Bungalow |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as a residence; described as in good condition, with recent alterations including an enlarged kitchen and a sliding glass door. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 34.34859, -82.94230 (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 86002050.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134379119
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.