Tate House
Also known as: Pink Palace
Why it's listed
Known locally as the Pink Palace, this two-story neo-classical mansion stands on Highway 53 east of Tate, Georgia, almost within sight of the Georgia Marble Company quarries. Sam Tate built it in 1923 of pink and white marble, with a tetrastyle temple-form portico on the front facade and special attention given to all four main facades. Inside, the original features include mural wallpaper in the stairhall, crystal sconces and a chandelier in the dining room, parquet marble flooring and carved, inlaid marble mantels. The Cincinnati firm Walker and Weeks designed it, and Porter and Porter of Atlanta decorated it. It reportedly cost $400,000 with furniture. The house reflects the Tate family's marble business, which began with land purchases in 1834 and was consolidated by Sam Tate in 1905. It was listed as an exceptional North Georgia structure and as the manor house of a marble-producing village. It has been unoccupied and slowly deteriorating since 1961.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a one-of-a-kind structure architecturally in North Georgia. It also reflects the Tate family marble business and the rising wealth of the early 20th century. The house is the manor house of a marble-producing village near the Georgia Marble Company quarries.
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 74000700, listed May 17, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | E of Tate on Hwy. 53, Tate |
|---|---|
| County | Pickens County |
| Listed | May 17, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000700 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1923 |
| Architect / builder | Walker and Weeks of Cincinnati (architects); Porter and Porter of Atlanta (decorators); local carpenter probably Mr. Cartwright; marble carver Arthur Beck; built for Sam Tate |
| Architectural style | Neo-classical, reminiscent of Renaissance villa and temple form structures |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as unaltered with original drapery, wallpaper murals and light fixtures intact, but deteriorating since it was last occupied in 1961. The form lists condition as good and status as unoccupied. |
| Acreage | 10 |
| Coordinates | 34.41370, -84.37215 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 74000700.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7687953
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.