Usher House
Why it's listed
Built about 1835, this one-story Plantation Plain cottage with an ell plan sits at Florence Street and College Avenue in Lumpkin, Georgia. It rests on brick piers and has weatherboard siding, a tin gable roof, two exterior brick chimneys and a shed porch with chamfered columns. Two side-by-side front entrances are set into tongue and groove sheathing divided by fluted pilasters, and every window is a 9/9 double-hung sash. Inside, the paneling, mantels and woodwork show Federal style influences. The house originally stood across the street on the site of what became the elementary school. The county school board swapped parcels in March 1907 and the house was moved soon afterward. A rear shed addition followed around 1950. It is valued locally as one of the earliest homes in Lumpkin, as the home of miller George Usher, and as a rare local example of its style, noted for careful proportioning and fine front facade detail. It remains a residence in good condition.
Significance in brief: The house is considered one of the earliest homes in Lumpkin and was the home of George Usher, the town miller. The Usher family has long been active in the town's political and civic life. Architecturally, it is a rare local example of Plantation Plain, noted for its careful proportions, tongue and groove front sheathing, pilasters and double entry.
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 82002480, listed June 29, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Florence St., Lumpkin |
|---|---|
| County | Stewart County |
| Listed | June 29, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002480 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Plantation Plain Cottage, ell plan, with Federal style influences in the interior |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and in use as a residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.05246, -84.80109 (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 82002480.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.