Double Branches Historic District
Why it's listed
Double Branches is a rural community in southeastern Lincoln County, Georgia, strung along Double Branches Road across rolling farmland and woodland. The district holds historic houses, farm outbuildings, two stores, and a group of Black community institutions: the C.M.E. Mulberry Church and cemetery, the Mulberry School and a Masonic Lodge. Its houses range from simple saddlebag and gabled-ell types to the early 19th-century Freeman-Bussey House, a Plantation Plain building, and the 1907 John M. Price House, which combines Neoclassical Revival and Folk Victorian details. The Price Store, built in 1897, still serves the community. The settlement was one of the oldest in the county, with a post office dating to 1827 and the first rural telephone line in Lincoln County, built in 1900. Its listing rests on its role as an early linear community, its range of vernacular architecture, its commercial buildings and its rare surviving Black landmarks. The boll weevil and the creation of Clarks Hill Lake later contributed to the community's decline.
Significance in brief: The district is significant for its range of vernacular house types and styles, for two rural crossroads stores, and for its linear pattern of development along a main county road over about two centuries. It also holds the C.M.E. Mulberry Church and cemetery, Mulberry School and Masonic Lodge, which are rare, closely grouped landmarks of the county's Black history.
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 93000934, listed September 21, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Double Branches Rd. SE of jct. with main GA 220, Lincolnton |
|---|---|
| County | Lincoln County |
| Listed | September 21, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000934 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | c. 1840-1942 (revised by the Keeper from the 1784-1942 stated in the form) |
| Architectural style | Vernacular (other: vernacular); includes Plantation Plain, saddlebag, gabled-ell, Folk Victorian and Neoclassical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Commerce, Black, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Price Store is still in operation; current uses include single dwellings, business, meeting hall and church. |
| Acreage | 800 |
| Coordinates | 33.74610, -82.32189 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 93000934.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q141774244
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.