Gordon-Lee House
Also known as: Gordon-Lee-Green House
Why it's listed
Built between 1840 and 1847 for wealthy planter James Gordon, this brick plantation house in Chickamauga, Georgia, was constructed with slave labor from bricks made on the property. A c.1900 remodeling added a colossal two-story Doric cement portico and a balcony, giving the original Greek Revival house a Neo-Classical appearance. Outbuildings include a brick smokehouse, a brick slave cabin, a log law office and a Victorian cottage. During the Civil War, Union General William Rosecrans used the house as headquarters from September 16 to 19, 1863, and it served as a field hospital during the Battle of Chickamauga. His chief of staff, James Garfield, later became president. Gordon's grandson Gordon Lee, a U.S. congressman, owned it until his death in 1927. After passing to the city in 1947, it was bought in 1973 by owners who began a restoration.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the most important plantation homes in North Georgia at the outbreak of the Civil War. Union General Rosecrans used it as headquarters before the Battle of Chickamauga in 1863, and it served as a field hospital during the battle. It also shows both mid-19th-century Greek Revival and c.1900 Neo-Classical styling, and was the home of U.S. Congressman Gordon Lee.
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 76000654, listed March 22, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 217 Cove Rd., Chickamauga |
|---|---|
| County | Walker County |
| Listed | March 22, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000654 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1840-1847 |
| Architect / builder | James Gordon/1900: H. Alsup |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, with Neo-Classical Revival elements from a 1900 remodeling |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as excellent and the house was occupied as a private residence; restoration was in progress, with plans to open it to the public as often as possible. |
| Acreage | 13 |
| Within district | Chickamauga Historic District |
| Coordinates | 34.87102, -85.29275 (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 76000654.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5584759
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.