Lafkowitz, Abraham, House
Why it's listed
Located at 934 5th Avenue in Columbus, Georgia, this one-story frame cottage dates to about 1900 and reflects the Eastlake style. It has an ell plan, a truncated hipped roof with a gable over the ell, two interior chimneys with heavily corbelled caps, and a porch with turned supports, balusters and spool gingerbread. The front has five bays, and the interior is a variation of the central hall plan with four rooms. The house first appears in the 1900 city directory. It was apparently built for Abraham Lafkowitz, a merchant tailor associated with Lafkowitz Brothers, a well-known Broad Street business, and his wife Fannie. By 1902 it was the home of William Maholland, a tinner at Columbus Iron Works. The house was recognized as one of very few Eastlake cottages in the downtown black area, and it has a neighboring house that is an exact copy with the plan reversed. It sits in a residential area of late Victorian cottages with some commercial intrusions.
Significance in brief: The house is significant architecturally as one of very few Eastlake cottages in the downtown black area of Columbus. It is also significant historically because it was apparently built for Abraham Lafkowitz, a tailor linked to the well-known Broad Street business Lafkowitz Brothers. It later became the home of William Maholland, a tinner at Columbus Iron Works.
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 80001181, listed September 29, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 934 5th Ave., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Muscogee County |
| Listed | September 29, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001181 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Eastlake; one story, ell plan |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as a private dwelling in good condition, with landscaping of grass, shrubbery and large trees. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.46423, -84.98614 (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 80001181.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.