Jarrett-Hayes House
Also known as: Liberty Lodge
Why it's listed
Overlooking Lake Hartwell near Toccoa, this two-story brick I-house with a rear ell was built around 1848 for Robert Jarrett, who used enslaved labor and bricks made on the property. The hand-made bricks are laid in common bond, and the five-bay front has a two-story portico with a second-floor balcony. Inside, a central hall divides two rooms on each side, and the heart pine woodwork is pegged, with classical mantels, turned newel posts and hardware imported from England. A two-story addition and a replacement portico date to 1959. The house is valued as a rare brick example of a house type usually built of wood: only three of 267 I-houses in Georgia's survey database are brick. It once anchored a plantation of about 800 acres, and the lake's creation ended its farming use. The 20-acre tract includes stone chimney ruins of a loom house and the sites of former outbuildings.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for architecture as a rare, intact example of a brick I-house in Georgia. Of 267 I-houses in the state's survey database, only three are brick. It shows mid-1800s construction methods, including hand-made on-site bricks, pegged heart pine woodwork and turned balusters, and reflects the wealth and standing of the Jarrett family.
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 94000572, listed June 10, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Co. Rt. 3, NE side, about 2 mi. E of GA 184, Toccoa |
|---|---|
| County | Stephens County |
| Listed | June 10, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000572 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1848 |
| Architect / builder | Robert Jarrett (owner) built the house with slave labor. |
| Architectural style | OTHER: I-House |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; the 1959 additions and replacement portico are noted, and the historic outbuildings are gone apart from loom house chimney ruins. |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Coordinates | 34.62898, -83.25907 (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 94000572.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q105063682
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.