Gatewood House
Why it's listed
Gatewood House is a two-story, beaded weatherboard plantation house in rural Putnam County, Georgia, built about 1805-1812 near Lick Creek, northeast of Eatonton. John Keating drew the land in the 1805 land lottery and built the house, which later passed through several owners. It was named for the Gatewood family, who owned it from 1839 until the 1920s. The house has a plain exterior with shed porches and two chimneys laid in an uncommon diamond-patterned brick bond. Inside are four rooms and a hall on each of two floors, wide pine floors, wainscoting, mahogany corner cabinets, and six mantels, including Adam-style reeding and molding in the drawing room. The nomination describes the house as unaltered since construction, though it had deteriorated before a recent purchase began its restoration. It was listed for its architectural quality and its link to early plantation life near Turnwold Plantation. The nominated area covers about 127 acres, including family cemetery plots.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for its refined yet simple architecture and its survival, unaltered, for over 150 years. Its mantels, diamond-patterned brick chimneys and oak-grained doors are noted as unusual for early Georgia homes. It is also tied to early southern plantation history, the Gatewood family, and a local tradition involving William H. Seward, and it lies near Turnwold Plantation.
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 75000606, listed June 20, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6 mi. NE of Eatonton off GA 44, Eatonton |
|---|---|
| County | Putnam County |
| Listed | June 20, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75000606 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | John Keating (original builder, per the statement of significance) |
| Architectural style | Plain style |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as original and unaltered, in fair condition and in a bad state of repair over the past ten years; recently purchased, with restoration beginning. Listed as a private residence, work in progress, and unoccupied. |
| Acreage | 127 |
| Coordinates | 33.39485, -83.30044 (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 75000606.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5527333
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.