Brodnax, Samuel H., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1881 in Walnut Grove, Georgia, this two-story brick house sits on just under three acres, all that remains of a farm of about two hundred acres. Its rectangular plan has a projecting front wing, a front veranda and a rear kitchen ell, under a roof that joins a front gable to a flat-topped mansard. The bricks were made and fired on the property, which explains a color change between the first and second stories. Atlanta architects Bruce and Morgan designed it, and the original plans and specifications survive. Inside, a central stairhall, walnut stair balusters and Tudor-arch mantels show restrained, refined detailing. A garden house, smokehouse, cook's house and garage remain. The house was listed for its architecture and for Samuel H. Brodnax, a Civil War veteran who served Walnut Grove as merchant, postmaster, legislator, banker and mayor. He chose brick after an earlier wooden house on the site burned.
Significance in brief: The house is a fine and unusual example of a brick country residence in Georgia and is one of very few surviving houses designed by the Atlanta firm Bruce and Morgan. The original plans and specifications survive. It was also the home of Samuel H. Brodnax (1844-1932), a merchant, banker, postmaster and mayor important to Walnut Grove's 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 82002496, listed June 17, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | GA 81, Walnut Grove |
|---|---|
| County | Walton County |
| Listed | June 17, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002496 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date 1881) |
| Architect / builder | Bruce and Morgan, architects |
| Architectural style | Simple brick house of no specific style, with mid-nineteenth-century Downing and Vaux-influenced form and late-Victorian details |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residence in excellent condition; the front porch has been screened and the rear porch enclosed. |
| Acreage | 2.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.74075, -83.85215 (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 82002496.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134466699
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.