Arnold-Callaway Plantation
Why it's listed
Known locally as the Brickhouse, this large plantation house sits on the high point of former Callaway family land along the Lexington-Washington Highway near Washington, Georgia. It follows the traditional Greek Revival plan, with a wide central hall, four rooms per floor and a six-column portico across the front. Details such as bracketed column capitals, an unusually wide frieze, frosted fleur-de-lis transom glass and large-pane windows point to a later date. Deed records show no house here as late as 1868, and lock dates of 1869 suggest Aristides Callaway built it soon after. Brick was an uncommon material in the Piedmont, and building on this scale was notable while Wilkes County's economy was only beginning to recover. The house shows how classical forms persisted after the Civil War. It was donated to the city, which moved a c. 1785 log cabin and the c. 1817 Parker Callaway homestead onto the grounds to illustrate the family's history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an unusual late example of Greek Revival plantation architecture, with atypical and transitional details that show classical monumentality persisting in post-Civil War Georgia. Its large-scale brick construction was uncommon for the Piedmont and for the late 1860s. It also documents the Callaway family's prominence, alongside two earlier relocated buildings.
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 72000402, listed April 11, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NW of Washington on U.S. 78, Washington |
|---|---|
| County | Wilkes County |
| Listed | April 11, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000402 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date c. 1869) |
| Architect / builder | Aristides Callaway (original builder) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (late, transitional, with Victorian details) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is marked good and altered; the property is owned by the City of Washington and maintained as part of a complex that includes two relocated earlier buildings. |
| Acreage | 10.5 |
| Coordinates | 33.77429, -82.81265 (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 72000402.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5021801
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.