I’ve photographed this house dozens of times over the last six years and recently learned that it is being deconstructed and the lumber salvaged for use in a new structure. The longtime owners of this landmark spent many years maintaining it and without their commitment to its history, it would have been long gone by now. I’m grateful for being allowed unlimited access to photograph and document it in its final days. I believe the house originated as a Plantation Plain, or I-House, the common vernacular style of wealthier farmers and planters in 19th-century Georgia. The porches were likely a later addition, giving it its present French Colonial appearance.
The first floor foyer is dominated by a narrow stairwell. To the right of the stairs is a re-paneled bedroom. One of the two main rooms downstairs would have originally served as a parlor and the other may have been a bedroom or dining room.
A “modern” kitchen is evidence that this home has served many generations, though the appliances and design attest to how long it’s been empty.
The upstairs bedrooms are largely unchanged.
As closets were not in use in the mid-19th-century, this one, with a simple closure, was added later.
The mantels are being removed and will be reused. The bricks in the fireplaces were made locally and are one of the best indicators of the age of the house.
In one bedroom, some of the wall boards have already been removed, revealing the beautiful rough-hewn local lumber that frames the house.
The second floor foyer is brightened by sidelights, replicating the appearance of the main entryway.
The foyer leads to a porch with louvered ends to maximize air circulation.
When the house is viewed from the rear, it seems possible that the hallway at the rear of the second floor was once a breezeway, especially when considering the larger windows in the middle.
Here’s the hallway.
It appears to be wasted space in the present form, and people in mid-19th-century rural Georgia didn’t waste space. Still, it’s a nice feature today. More of the original rough-hewn walls have been exposed by the deconstruction.
There are small rear corner rooms on each end of the second floor.
Corner posts are reinforced by buttresses and wooden pegs.
Here’s the view from the top of the landing back down to the first floor entryway.
And here’s a view of the roof of the kitchen/packhouse addition.
And another rear view of the house, showing the size of the kitchen/packhouse.
Unlike most detached kitchens which have been connected to a main house, this one only has outside access. The original kitchen is really a complex of three rooms. The first section likely served as a dining and storage area.
The second room was where the work of the kitchen was done, featuring a large hearth.
A small room at the end of the complex was likely used as a packhouse/root cellar.
I feel fortunate to have been able to experience this house. It’s a real gem.
Brian your photos and descriptions are always wonderful. This was a beautiful home and I wanted to say thanks for all the photos which let us inside for a final look. .
Just came upon this. My family was the last to live in the home. We rented it from Marcus Smith for 25.00/month from 1959 to 1969. This house has always been very important to my family. We were disappointed it was torn down.
I am also a descendant of the Horne Family. I am very happy to see this beautiful old Anti-Bellum house and use my imagination to see what it looked like after it was built.
nice and good look home.. this home for sale?
With all due respect to all the commenters on here.
My brother bought this house around two months ago and worked close to a week with my sister-in-law cleaning it out to get it ready to be taken down with the intent of using all the salvageable wood to build a new home.
I find it amusing to read the comments on here from people that have nothing better to do than stick their nose in others business. If this house meant so much then why didn’t anyone of you buy it and restore it? I thought so…
This old home will be torn down and used to build a home for a wonderful family, and that is a whole lot better than the fate this house would have gotten.
I am grateful to him for sharing it with me and allowing me to record it. When we met we predicted comments would likely go this way. It saddens a lot of people, including me, that this place will be gone, but at least a small part of it will survive. I think generally most commenters don’t mean anything personally toward T. I think people just get overly passionate sometimes.
I don’t know why you would think it’s amusing that people have opinions. We all have them. So what if people are sad or disappointed. I’m sad and disappointed that I didn’t get to see it before I learned about it and it was already gone. Are you going to be amused by that? Let people have their thoughts. How about supporting them and sharing great info and stories you have about it to help others. Good grief.
I am sad to hear this house is being taken down. What stories must be in those walls! It was so nice to be able to see the interior pics. I would love to be able to live in an old house like that. I always look forward to your pics even though I’m not that familiar with GA.
What a gorgeous house – it has such presence! I am sad to hear that it is being deconstructed.
I am a Horne descendant and very disappointed in the loss of this piece of history, but I do treasure these photos that Brian has taken so I can include them in my family records. Thank you Brian.
Hi Bryan, Glad to meet you! I’m a great, great, great grandson.
I’m a decedent of Mr Hendley Foxworth Horne. Knowing the lumber will live on is a relief, knowing the home will be no longer as is is depressing.
I too am a Horne. H F Horne was my 3x great grandfather. I understand change comes. It’s nice to hear it is or was reconstructed. Is there info on where that has been done?
How wonderful that you have a photographic memory book of this fascinating house. Thank you.
Hate to see another landmark go. Hopefully it will be replaced by something just as solidly built.
Thank you for sharing this, I wish it could be preserved, but I know it is up to the owners to do what is necessary for them.
Thank you for sharing. Just curious, does the house have an indoor restroom? If so, it would be interesting to see it given the age and original condition of the house.
I am hearbroken to know that this piece of history will be gone. I certainly do not understand the reasoning. Thank you Brian for you commitment to the preservation of such wonderful places as this….
Can you provide some more information on the history of this house? Has it been documented through measured drawings of the floor plans and elevations? Do you know if the plan to reconstruct it elsewhere or simply to re-use or sell the historic materials?
Thank you.
With all due respect…… the “reasoning” is that the structure belongs to someone who wishes to use it in a different form.