Hilton
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Why it's listed
Hilton, at 2505 Macon Road in Columbus, Georgia, began as a four-room clapboard farmhouse built for Dr. Lovick Pierce, a physician who became a Methodist minister and bishop. In 1855 William Waters Garrard bought it and, after admiring an Italian villa abroad, added a two-story section with a projecting central bay and bay windows. He had marble mantels, statues and stained glass shipped from Europe. The house was restored in 1936 and is now white frame with its original green shutters. Its name connects to the Urquhart family and to Garrard's earlier home on Hilton Head Island. The nomination records that some of the last shots of the Civil War were fired from its front porch in April 1865. It also appeared in the 1967 film The Green Berets, and a residential district of Columbus takes its name from the house. Its listing was urged because rising land values threatened division of the six-acre property.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents Hilton as a surviving early Columbus house that grew from a simple farmhouse into an Italian villa. It cites links to Bishop Lovick Pierce, the Garrard family, and the Urquhart family, who used the name Hilton. It also notes that some of the last shots of the Civil War were fired from its porch in April 1865, that the house was used in the 1967 film The Green Berets, and that a residential section of Columbus takes its name from it.
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 72000390, listed January 20, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2505 Macon Rd., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Muscogee County |
| Listed | January 20, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000390 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1843) |
| Architect / builder | Dr. Lovick Pierce (original house); William Waters Garrard (1855 Italian villa additions) |
| Architectural style | Italian villa (added to an earlier clapboard farmhouse) |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as occupied, in fair condition and altered. Mrs. A. H. Bickerstaff restored it in 1936. The nomination warns that land values may lead to partition of the property. |
| Acreage | 6 |
| Within district | Hillcrest-Wildwood Circle Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.47350, -84.95391 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 72000390.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5764461
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.