Butts, Thomas V., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1896 for W. I. Struppa, a purser, this two-story house at 1214 3rd Avenue in Columbus began as a late Victorian frame dwelling. Dr. J. M. Cook bought it in 1904, and in 1908 it passed to Thomas Usher Butts, a Hancock County native who came to Columbus in 1893 and ran the Georgia Lumber Company, a wholesale concern, as well as Butts Lumber Company, a retail business in Phenix City, Alabama. His descendants lived there until 1959. In 1928 the house was covered in brick and given a clay tile hipped roof, wide eaves with modillions, corner quoins, keystones and a neo-classical entrance porch. The result mixes Georgian, Italianate, classical revival and Prairie School elements, which is why it is regarded as an excellent example of eclectic design in downtown Columbus. It once stood in the elite High Uptown neighborhood, now largely commercial. A rear two-story garage with servants' quarters survives, and the house was vacant and in fair condition when surveyed.
Significance in brief: The form argues the house is significant in architecture because it shows changing styles, with a late Victorian frame house modernized in 1928 with Georgian, Italianate, classical revival and Prairie School details. It is significant in local history as the home of lumber businessman Thomas Usher Butts, in the once-elite High Uptown neighborhood.
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 80001146, listed September 29, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1214 3rd Ave., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Muscogee County |
| Listed | September 29, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001146 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Eclectic |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant and in fair condition; the surrounding area of c. 1890 residences has become commercial. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.46924, -84.98895 (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 80001146.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85809302
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.