Hill-Kurtz House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Set well back from the street among mature trees at 570 South Hill Street in Griffin, this one-story Greek Revival house dates to about 1860. It was built by Gilman J. Drake, a builder who arrived from New Hampshire in 1857, for Benjamen J. Milner, a pioneer Griffin citizen who helped equip a Confederate cavalry company. A square block on a cross-hall plan is wrapped by a Doric portico on three sides, and the doors have fan and side lights framed by pilasters. Large nine-over-nine windows add elegance to a modest design. A Victorian rear wing added in the 1890s by Flemming Bailey gave the house a T-shaped plan. Ober Tyus remodelled it in the 1920s, adding French doors and bathrooms, though original pine floors and parlor mantels remain. Its architecture and links to early Griffin families are the grounds for its recognition. The property now covers about one acre.
Significance in brief: The house is an unusual example of Greek Revival design for its place and period, with a cross-hall plan and a Doric portico on three sides. It was built by Gilman J. Drake, who built a number of structures in Griffin. It is also tied to several families who settled in Griffin in its earliest days.
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 73002141, listed March 20, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 570 S. Hill St., Griffin |
|---|---|
| County | Spalding County |
| Listed | March 20, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73002141 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific dates c. 1860, c. 1890) |
| Architect / builder | Gilman J. Drake (builder) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition and unaltered, in use as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 33.23566, -84.26243 (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 73002141.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15378774
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.