Hardaway, James L., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1842 on a rise beside the Georgia Railroad, this Greek Revival raised cottage sits on Old Mesena Road west of Thomson. It has a granite ground floor, a braced-frame upper floor, a central hall with four rooms on each level, and a two-tier columned front portico. Pedimented windows and doors, a double front door with sidelights, and grained woodwork survive. One parlor retains plaster painted to resemble marble blocks. The house served as the main house of a 1,070-acre antebellum plantation that produced cotton, wool and wheat, and James L. Hardaway lived there from 1849 until his death in 1895. A smokehouse and storage building remain, along with an ornamental front yard of planted trees and shrubs, a type of antebellum Georgia landscaping. The property was recognized for its architecture, its link to plantation agriculture and railroad-era change, and its landscape design. Rehabilitation was under way at the time.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a fine example of a Greek Revival raised cottage, with a central-hall plan, a two-tier columned portico and original details. It also represents a 1,070-acre antebellum cotton plantation beside the Georgia Railroad. Its surviving ornamental yard is cited as a good example of a recognized antebellum Georgia landscape form.
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 93000942, listed September 16, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Old Mesena Rd. W of Thomson, Thomson |
|---|---|
| County | McDuffie County |
| Listed | September 16, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000942 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1842-1943 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as undergoing rehabilitation; current function is a single dwelling. The surrounding fields are abandoned. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 33.44809, -82.57784 (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 93000942.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20709253
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.