Cunningham-Coleman House
Why it's listed
Set in an isolated rural spot southeast of Wadley, Georgia, this raised, weatherboarded cottage combines the Sand Hills house type with Greek Revival detailing. Probably built between 1837 and 1839 by William Marshall, it has a two-over-four plan, a very wide central hall used for ventilation, and a recessed front porch with plain Doric columns. Unusual features include sidelights and a transom that open, and a curved baseboard on the stair. The house sat at the center of a middle-sized cotton plantation, later owned by Ann Marshall Daniel. After the Civil War, William Armstrong Cunningham of Maryland bought it in 1869, and the area became known as Cunningham Corners. In 1895 it passed to John C. Coleman of Emanuel County, a merchant, landowner and public official, and it has stayed in his family since. A 1982 restoration under a restoration architect made the house habitable while keeping its original character.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a fine rural example of a Sand Hills cottage with Greek Revival detailing, including a raised floor and wide central hall for ventilation, operable sidelights and transom, and an unusual curved stair baseboard. It is also tied to a middle-sized antebellum cotton plantation and to later owners William A. Cunningham and John C. Coleman, who shaped the local area.
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 84001119, listed September 7, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SE of Wadley, Wadley |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | September 7, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001119 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1830s |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival style Sand Hills cottage |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored in 1982 with a modern kitchen, bathrooms, plumbing, heating, insulation, and new porches; occupied as a private residence and rented. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 32.84574, -82.34549 (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 84001119.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85754823
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.