This house was a landmark in Manassas and looked to be in relatively good condition when I made this photograph in 2016. It is essentially a Plantation Plain, or I-House, and the porches are a later addition.
I’ve always loved this little house and with every glance at the details it proves itself to be a master work of the carpenter who built it. It’s a real skill to fit architectural details into such a small space without overwhelming the structure, but it was done seamlessly here.
This landmark stands as not only the grandest in Manassas but one of the largest and best preserved Folk Victorians I’ve ever seen. Its size is truly awe-inspiring. And the house is not vacant. Please do not trespass, as if I should even need to say so. According to Lisa Hearne, it was built by the namesake of Manassas himself, Manassas Foy and was purchased in the late 1800s by her great-great grandmother, Eliza Ann Collins Hodges and her husband. Mrs. Hodges was a descendant of the Collins family for whom the nearby town of Collins was named. There are even more notable structures in Manassas but I didn’t have the time to shoot them yesterday. I will certainly be back and encourage photographers in the area to explore Manassas and vicinity when they have the opportunity.
According to her nephew, Jake Smith, Nan Smith ran a small grocery/general store here, as well as the Manassas post office.
The depot at Manassas is an important survivor of the Savannah & Western Railway. I cannot locate the original source which led to this identification and date and would welcome more information.
Patrick Benton writes of this Plantation Plain landmark: “This house was built around 1870 by my great-great-grandfather, Henry Tippins. It has been in the family since then. It now serves as our weekend hunting lodge. Not much has been done to it as far as upgrades…I saw an old photo of it from the 30’s or 40’s. It was not painted then either!“
I will go on the record in saying this is one of the most extraordinary houses of its type in this section of Georgia. It’s a classic I-House, or Plantation Plain, with a nice verticality, 6-over-6 windows, and unpainted boards. The back wall of the shed room and the kitchen appear to have been whitewashed at some point. The attached kitchen appears to be just as original as the house itself. A central balcony on the second floor features a Carpenter balustrade. It may be an addition, though it appears to be contemporary. Commendably, the family has treasured it and maintained its original appearance and in the process.
