Turnwold
Why it's listed
Turnwold is a rural property of about 110 acres in Putnam County, Georgia, where two early-nineteenth-century plantation houses, a detached kitchen, an academy, a tenant house and two family cemeteries survive. The Alexander-Turner House is a two-story braced-frame house of the Plantation Plain type, while the Lane-Turner House is a Federal style building with pilasters across its front. Joseph Addison Turner bought the Alexander place in 1851 and ran a plantation with a hat shop, distillery, tannery and printing office. There he issued The Countryman, the only known newspaper printed on a Southern plantation, from 1862 until 1866. A young Joel Chandler Harris served as an apprentice in the print shop for four years and drew on plantation life for his later Uncle Remus stories. Phoenix Academy, built in the early 1860s in Greek Revival style, is one of few surviving rural antebellum academies in Georgia. Turner's journals and newspaper also point to buried remains of vanished outbuildings.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues Turnwold is significant in education, literature, journalism and historic archaeology. Joseph Addison Turner published The Countryman here, described as the only known newspaper printed on a Southern plantation. Joel Chandler Harris, later creator of the Uncle Remus stories, worked here as a young apprentice, and Phoenix Academy survives as a rare rural antebellum academy.
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 80001225, listed March 10, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SE of Eatonton on Old Phoenix Rd., Eatonton |
|---|---|
| County | Putnam County |
| Listed | March 10, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001225 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Plantation Plain variant (Alexander-Turner House); Federal (Lane-Turner House); Greek Revival (Phoenix Academy) |
| Areas of significance | Literature, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is described as deteriorated overall on the form. The Alexander-Turner House is structurally sound and well-maintained, the Lane-Turner House, Phoenix Academy and kitchen are deteriorated, and the tenant house is in fair condition. |
| Acreage | 110 |
| Coordinates | 33.37868, -83.27450 (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 80001225.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q55316116
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.