St. Elmo
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Why it's listed
St. Elmo is a Greek Revival mansion in Columbus, Georgia, begun in 1828 and finished in 1833 by Colonel Seaborn Jones, a lawyer who served three terms in Congress. Twelve Doric columns, forty feet high, run across the front and around two sides, topped by a balustrade. Walls eighteen inches thick were built of handmade brick that enslaved workers dug, molded and dried on the property. Inside, a central hall twelve feet wide separates large rooms, and a winding staircase joins the upper floors. A brick outbuilding with a dove-cote above and a smokehouse below survives behind the house. Originally called Eldorado, the house took the name St. Elmo in 1875, after the novel by Augusta Jane Evans Wilson, Jones's wife's niece, who drew on visits to the home. Jones's daughter Mary married Henry Lewis Benning, for whom Fort Benning was named. The house later served as a girls school and was opened to the public in 1933.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of the most exquisite classic houses in America, a Greek temple for a home, with a forty-foot Doric colonnade. It is also tied to Colonel Jones, General Henry Lewis Benning and the novel St. Elmo by Augusta Jane Evans Wilson, which drew on her visits to the house.
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 71000284, listed April 7, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2810 St. Elmo Dr., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Muscogee County |
| Listed | April 7, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000284 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th century; built 1828-1833 |
| Architect / builder | Colonel Seaborn Jones (builder) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Literature, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition, occupied and used as a private residence; the form notes some alterations and that the original site is unmoved. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Within district | Weracoba-St. Elmo Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.48930, -84.96600 (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 71000284.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7587868
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.