Goodall, Seaborn, House
Also known as: Goodall-Dell House
Why it's listed
Built in 1815 by Seaborn Goodall in the town of Jacksonborough, north of Sylvania, this two-story frame house follows the plantation plain form: a pitched roof, two exterior end brick chimneys, a one-story shed porch, a two-over-two room plan and a rear shed wing. Inside, the rooms have wainscoting, plaster trim and Federal style mantelpieces, and the upstairs wainscot is painted to give a three-dimensional illusion. Goodall was a mason, an early Methodist, and Clerk of the Superior Court of Screven County from 1816 to 1836. According to the account given, he sheltered the preacher Lorenzo Dow from a mob in 1820, and Dow then cursed the town to vanish except for this house. Jacksonborough, founded in 1797 as the county seat, faded away, and the house remains. It was occupied until 1966, when a Daughters of the American Revolution chapter bought it for use as a meeting place and museum.
Significance in brief: It is a good example of an early nineteenth century plantation plain house, restored and with well-preserved interior features such as panelled wainscot and Adamesque mantels. It is also important to local history through its builder, a prominent county citizen, and as the only surviving building of the dead town of Jacksonborough.
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 77000443, listed October 17, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N of Sylvania at jct. of U.S. 301 and GA 24, Sylvania |
|---|---|
| County | Screven County |
| Listed | October 17, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000443 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Seaborn Goodall |
| Architectural style | Plantation plain with Federal details |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied, in good condition; used as a meeting place and museum by the Brier Creek Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, which bought it in 1966. |
| Acreage | 3.7 |
| Coordinates | 32.82155, -81.62429 (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 77000443.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q43080504
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.