Long, Crawford W., Childhood Home
Why it's listed
Set on a hill above Danielsville, Georgia, this frame house was built between 1817 and 1820 by James Long, a merchant, planter, clerk of court, postmaster and legislator who helped found the town. His son Crawford W. Long spent his childhood here until he left at fourteen for Franklin College. In 1842 Crawford Long used diethyl ether as an anesthetic during surgery, and the house is the only surviving authentic structure linked to his life. Local tradition called it his birthplace, but deed and tax research placed the house outside the 1813 town limits and showed it was built after his birth. Architecturally, the five-bay, two-over-two house has a heavy timber frame, stone foundations, two chimneys and paneled formal rooms. A pedimented federal-style porch was later replaced by a low shed roof. The interior remains largely unaltered, and the main block is in good condition. Frame outbuildings and rear additions stand nearby.
Significance in brief: The house is the only surviving authentic structure tied to the life of Dr. Crawford W. Long, who first used ether as a surgical anesthetic in 1842. It is also argued to be a refined example of federal period architecture on the Georgia upper piedmont frontier, with quality interior paneling and graining.
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 77000438, listed December 6, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Old Ila Rd., Danielsville |
|---|---|
| County | Madison County |
| Listed | December 6, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000438 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | James Long (built the house) |
| Architectural style | Plantation plain style with federal period influence |
| Areas of significance | Science, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Main block described as in good condition and easily restored; rear additions and several outbuildings are present, and only the well house is in good condition. Form marks the property as unoccupied. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 34.12623, -83.22418 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 77000438.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.