Rothschild, David, House
Also known as: International Life Corps, Inc.
Why it's listed
Built in 1886 by N. P. Banks, vice-president of the Columbus Investment Company, this Second Empire house at 1220 Third Avenue is a wood-frame dwelling with a mansard roof, four interior chimneys and a one-story porch running the length of the facade beneath a central second-story portico. The northern two-thirds rises two stories, and rear rooms later formed a U-shaped plan. Jigsaw-cut ornament decorates the porches and eaves, and louvered dormer vents follow the curve of the roofline. Inside, a carved mahogany curved staircase and carved ceiling moldings remain. Wholesale grocer J. B. Tarver bought the house in 1904, and in 1910 David Rothschild, an upholstery fabric manufacturer, purchased it and raised six children there. The family owned it until 1958, and it later served as a doctor's office and home. It is the only remaining Second Empire house in Columbus and is now used as offices amid downtown commercial development.
Significance in brief: The form cites local history and architecture. The house was long the home of the Rothschild family, whose members were leading citizens active in the local fabric industry. It is described as the only remaining Second Empire house in Columbus, with some of the city's finest applied porch and eave ornament and unique dormer vents that follow the curve of the roofline.
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 80001198, listed September 29, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1220 3rd Ave., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Muscogee County |
| Listed | September 29, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001198 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and currently used as office space, surrounded by c. 1960-70 commercial development. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.46951, -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.
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 80001198.
- 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.