Poe, Martha, Dogtrot House
Also known as: Mayhar Plantation Stage Stop
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 in a rolling clearing beside woodland and pasture near Metcalf, this one-story log dogtrot house in Thomas County, Georgia, was probably built between 1850 and 1876. Two rooms of hand-hewn, square-notched logs flank a central breezeway, with hand-planed beveled boards covering the gaps between logs rather than mud chinking. Later changes include enclosing the breezeway and rear porch, adding milled weatherboard to three sides, and installing chimneys, concrete piers and new flooring around 1946. Its significance rests on rarity: Georgia's survey found only 38 dogtrot-type buildings among 398 log resources, and few surviving dogtrots lie below the Fall line. In 1876 Martha Poe, an African-American woman, bought the house and four acres, and her descendants lived there for generations. The property later became part of Mayhaw Plantation, a hunting preserve created in 1946. A c. 1946 barn stands nearby, and the house is currently vacant.
Significance in brief: It is a rare, intact example of a log dogtrot house, and one of few located below Georgia's Fall line. Of 398 log-built resources in Georgia's survey, only 38 are dogtrots. Its squared, square-notched logs covered with beveled boards instead of mud chinking are uncommon for south Georgia.
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 98000569, listed May 20, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 0.75 W of jct of Twelve Mile Post Rd. and GA 19, Metcalf |
|---|---|
| County | Thomas County |
| Listed | May 20, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000569 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | C. 1850-1876 |
| Architectural style | Other: Dogtrot |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed current function is vacant/not in use. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 30.69308, -83.84920 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 98000569.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q30623008
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.