McBain, Newman, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1853 for Americus resident Newnan McBain, this 1-1/2 story frame house sits on a slight rise east of U.S. Highway 19 south of Americus. It has a rectangular plan, a gable roof, brick piers, weatherboard siding and an inset front porch with five square columns. Inside, four rooms on the ground floor are arranged back to back around two central chimneys, with two rooms upstairs. A long, narrow frame barn stands nearby. The house matters because its plan, massing, porch and chimney placement match the Louisiana French or Creole house type described by folk-housing scholars, rather than the English-derived plain style or Greek Revival forms common in rural Georgia. It is identified as the first Creole-type house nominated in the state and may point to French building traditions reaching southwest Georgia. Its builder is unknown. Because its history is poorly documented, the house and its grounds are valued as sources for future study. The house is rented today.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a distinct and rare antebellum folk house of the Louisiana French or "Creole" type, the first identified and nominated in Georgia. Its French-derived form may reflect previously unrecognized cultural influence on settlement in southwest Georgia. The house also has archaeological potential and is itself the main source of information about its history.
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 80001237, listed February 8, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S of Americus on U.S. 19, Americus |
|---|---|
| County | Sumter County |
| Listed | February 8, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001237 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Louisiana French or "Creole" type house (folk house; not Greek Revival or plain style) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition not rated in the legible text; the house is rented, the rear additions show signs of remodeling, and the property is no longer a working farmstead. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 32.04259, -84.25342 (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 80001237.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134457528
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.