West Robert Toombs District
Why it's listed
West Robert Toombs Avenue forms a major western entrance to the town of Washington, Georgia. The nominated district covers about 72 acres of mostly residential streetscape beneath tall water oaks, beginning near a small triangular green space marked for Baptist leader Jesse Mercer. Its houses span roughly 1815 to 1900 and show a wide mix of styles. The Tupper-Barnett House, built about 1860, has a Doric portico encircling the older house. The Barksdale-Burt House, designed in 1893 by Atlanta architect Gottfried L. Norrman, is a picturesque eclectic design. Other houses include the Irvin-Orr and M. P. Pope houses, the Queen Anne and Eastlake Hill-Harris House, and the Morris House, once the Planters Hotel. The district was recognized for this architectural variety and for its ties to figures such as Mercer, Henry Allen Tupper and Judge Garnett Andrews. Its past mix of homes, a tavern, and printing offices also shows how business and residence once shared the street.
Significance in brief: The district holds a concentration of ante-bellum and late nineteenth-century houses showing a wide mix of styles, including Greek Revival, Federal, Queen Anne, Eastlake and picturesque eclectic designs. It also contains sites linked to Baptist leaders Jesse Mercer and Henry Allen Tupper, Judge Garnett Andrews and his daughter Eliza Frances Andrews, and the architect Gottfried L. Norrman. Its mixed home and business uses, set among water oaks, reflect earlier town customs.
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 73000650, listed March 1, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | W. Robert Toombs Ave. between Allison St. and Rte. 44 and Lexington Ave., Washington |
|---|---|
| County | Wilkes County |
| Listed | March 1, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000650 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | c. 1790-1900 |
| Architect / builder | Gottfried L. Norrman (Barksdale-Burt House, 1893); Dr. Felix Hay (M. P. Pope House, 1825); Samuel Gardiner (Morris House, 1824) |
| Architectural style | Mixed styles: Greek Revival, Federal, Queen Anne, Eastlake, picturesque eclecticism, classic revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked good and largely residential, with a few filling stations intruding; some houses are altered, and one house was moved. |
| Acreage | 72 |
| Within district | Washington Historic District |
| Coordinates | 33.73638, -82.74695 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 73000650.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.