Mathis House
Why it's listed
Built around 1840-45 at East Main and Oak Streets in Lumpkin, this two-story farmhouse follows the Plantation Plain form with Greek Revival detailing. It has a rectangular plan, weatherboard siding over mortise-and-tenon framing, two stuccoed brick exterior chimneys, and a one-story lean-to across the rear. The five-bay front has two central entrances, one above the other. The upper door is framed by fluted pilasters, and the lower door has sidelights and a transom with a pattern of rectangles and squares, set within flush tongue-and-groove siding. Inside is a central hall plan with two rooms upstairs and four downstairs. It was once one of four identical houses within a four-mile radius in Stewart County, and it is the only one still standing. Its early ownership is unclear, though a schoolteacher and a local woman known as Aunt Penny McCullough lived there by 1899. It was listed for its architecture and for representing the large, plain farmhouses once on the town's outskirts.
Significance in brief: It is the only house in Lumpkin still showing the two-story Plantation Plain form in Greek Revival style. Its ornate entrances are among the most decorative in the town. It is also the sole survivor of four identical houses built within a four-mile radius, and it reflects the large but plain farmhouses on the outskirts of Lumpkin.
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 82002474, listed June 29, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E. Main St., Lumpkin |
|---|---|
| County | Stewart County |
| Listed | June 29, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002474 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Plantation Plain type with Greek Revival detailing |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as a residence; described as being in good condition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.05021, -84.79098 (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 82002474.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85784317
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.