Usry House
Why it's listed
Located at 211 Milledge Street in Thomson, Georgia, the Usry House shows how a home can evolve with its family. It probably began as a frontier cabin of one or two rooms, associated with William Usry in Warren County before McDuffie County existed. Over the following decades it became a Plantation Plain farmhouse and then a large two-story town house. Its front portico, with square columns on panelled plinths and jigsaw scrollwork railings, reflects a mid-century shift from late Greek Revival toward Victorian taste. Changes in floorboards, rooflines and window sizes record the stages of growth, and a two-story addition was made around 1930. The Usry family worked as planters, millers and carpenters, and one member, a physician, helped run a railroad hauling lumber from local sawmills. Local tradition says the rail line was planned in the parlor. The town of Thomson grew up around the house, which now sits on a small lot on a quiet residential street.
Significance in brief: The house is significant as an example of a family adapting its home over decades, with its changes mirroring shifts in nineteenth-century architectural style. Its present form shows a transition from late Greek Revival to early Victorian, seen in the columned portico with jigsaw scrollwork. It is also tied to the Usry family, who were planters, millers and a physician, and to local lumber railroad 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 74002182, listed October 1, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 211 Milledge St., Thomson |
|---|---|
| County | McDuffie County |
| Listed | October 1, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74002182 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architectural style | Transition from late Greek Revival to early Victorian; Plantation Plain core |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition, altered, on its original site, and occupied as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 33.46625, -82.50542 (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 74002182.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134391077
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.