Harman-Watson-Matthews House
Why it's listed
Built around 1860 of hand-made Georgia clay brick, this house near Odessadale in Meriwether County was erected for Luther Merriman Harman, who had come to the county with his parents in 1827. Enslaved workers made the brick, and the nomination says a kiln collapse prevented a second planned house from being built. It is described as the oldest brick house in the county. The original design was a one-and-one-half-story Greek Revival house with a square-columned temple-form portico, gauged brick arches over the windows, graining on the doors, and a central hall with four square rooms. Later changes included a rear dining room and kitchen ell about 1880 and a flat-roofed porch added after 1896. After Harman died in 1892 the Watson family owned it until 1971. A restoration that year removed the later additions, and further work was planned to follow an 1896 photograph. The house sits on a 200-acre plot with granite outcroppings.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the oldest brick house in Meriwether County. It is also noted as an architectural example for its four-square-room central hall plan, its original wood graining and its brick construction.
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 73000628, listed May 9, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SW of Greenville on Odessadale/Durand Rd., Greenville |
|---|---|
| County | Meriwether County |
| Listed | May 9, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000628 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (c.1860) |
| Architect / builder | Luther Merriman Harman (builder/owner); bricks made by slaves |
| Architectural style | Originally Greek Revival; later renovated in a version of the colonial style |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent and altered; in use as a private residence (weekend retreat) with restoration begun in 1971. |
| Acreage | 7 |
| Coordinates | 32.98945, -84.82652 (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 73000628.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134391167
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.