Goetchius-Wellborn House
Why it's listed
Begun in 1839, this Columbus, Georgia house was built by Richard Rose Goetchius, a New York-born architect and builder, for his bride Mary Anne Bennett. Its design resembles houses in the Garden District of New Orleans. A wide front veranda once had wrought-iron lacework, later replaced with wooden columns and bannisters, but the interior keeps fine detail: a wide center hall with stained glass around the front door, high ceilings, carved cornices, and carving over the arch and the double parlor doors. Ornamental scroll medallions decorate the ceilings of the entrance hall and both parlors. The Goetchius children were born in the house, and it stayed in the family for roughly 125 years. Because its site had become valuable commercial property, the house was moved to 405 Broadway to preserve it, then restored for use as a period restaurant. A 1967 local building inventory gave it a number one rating.
Significance in brief: The nomination points to the house's architectural character, resembling houses in the Garden District of New Orleans, with detailing such as carved cornices, ceiling medallions and stained glass. It also notes its link to Goetchius, a successful architect and builder, and to one family's ownership for about 125 years. It received a number one rating in the 1967 Historic Columbus Building Inventory.
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 69000047, listed July 29, 1969. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 405 Broadway, Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Muscogee County |
| Listed | July 29, 1969 |
| Reference number | 69000047 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1839 |
| Architect / builder | Richard Rose Goetchius |
| Architectural style | Similar to New Orleans Garden District houses |
| Areas of significance | Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Moved to 405 Broadway for restoration; a later update reports its present use as a restaurant and that no changes were made. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Within district | Columbus Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.45394, -84.99371 (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 69000047.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134397899
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.