Brahe House
Why it's listed
Built in 1850 by Frederick Adolphus Brahe, this house at 456 Telfair Street in Augusta combines the Sand Hills Cottage form with Greek Revival detailing. A full English basement of solid brick supports two frame stories and an attic with dormers. This feature set it apart from the traditional townhouses of its neighborhood. Interior details include eleven-foot ceilings on the first floor, a papier-mache ceiling, sliding pocket doors, and original gas chandeliers. The house was also the first in Augusta to have electric lights. Brahe came from Albany, New York, and worked as a silversmith and city clock tender; his son continued the business as Brahe's Jewelers. The family held the house until 1968, when it was deeded to the Augusta Museum. Later changes include rear additions, asbestos shingles, and a replacement wooden basement floor from 1910. Part of the house serves as a small museum, and a fuller restoration was planned.
Significance in brief: The house is significant for its architecture, with a full English basement that makes it unusual in an area of townhouse-style homes of the period. It also reflects the Brahe family, Augusta silversmiths, who kept it until 1968, and it was the first house in Augusta wired for electricity.
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 73000640, listed April 11, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 456 Telfair St., Augusta |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond County |
| Listed | April 11, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000640 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1850 (19th Century) |
| Architect / builder | Frederick Adolphus Brahe (builder) |
| Architectural style | Sand Hills Cottage, Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and slightly altered; it contains a small museum open by special arrangement, with restoration planned. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Augusta Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 33.46930, -81.96010 (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 73000640.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q38251798
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.