Alma Fruit Farm
Also known as: Jones-Peterson House
Why it's listed
Alma Fruit Farm, also known as the Jones-Peterson House, is a two-story Neo-classical frame house built in 1893 on a knoll about two miles west of Marshallville, Georgia. Anson Ball Slappey built it for his daughter Alma and her husband, J. Leonard Jones, as the main house of a commercial fruit farm. The land was originally part of an 11,000-acre grant made to Jacob Slappey in 1826. In the 1930s the house was also home to Louise Frederick Hays, author of the History of Macon County, Georgia. Though now covered in aluminum siding and altered by the removal of side porches and the screening of the second-story balcony, it keeps a monumental two-story portico and a large central hall with a stairway. The house was listed for its architecture and for its connection to the commercial fruit industry that shaped the local agricultural economy. The surrounding acreage is still farmed, and the house remains a residence in good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls the house a good example of turn-of-the-century Neo-classical architecture, with a monumental two-story portico made more striking by its knoll setting. It is also important as a link to the community's agricultural past because of its close ties to the commercial fruit industry.
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 80004446, listed November 25, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | GA 49W, Marshallville |
|---|---|
| County | Macon County |
| Listed | November 25, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80004446 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect/builder unknown; built by Anson Ball Slappey for his daughter Alma and her husband J. Leonard Jones |
| Architectural style | Neo-classical |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In good condition; used as a residence and farm, with surrounding acreage still farmed. |
| Acreage | 864 |
| Coordinates | 32.43647, -83.99277 (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 80004446.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134383310
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.