From The Archives

History & Description

This temple-form Greek Revival house has been cited in numerous books lauding its classic design, wonderful proportions and unusual detailing. It has been called “the most refined of the characteristic Georgia examples” of this quintessentially Southern style. It was built by Skelton Napier after he acquired more than 300 acres of land which stretched from what is now Vineville Avenue, which the house faced, to the Ocmulgee River, and was approached by an avenue of cedars. Around 1900 the house was moved and turned to accommodate the development of that sector of a growing Macon. It is attributed to the important New England architect Elias Carter, who had also designed Mr. Napier’s brother’s house which was on what is now Napier Avenue.

The central hall, four-over-four floor plan is typical for this style and was designed for ease of movement within the house, maximum air circulation, and for large scale entertaining. The floor plan in the main block of the house is essentially the same on both floors, except for the addition of bathrooms and closets upstairs. Both floors feature 13’ ceiling heights, with the eight main rooms ranging in size from 17’x20’, to 19’x20’. The main stair hall is 12’x40’ long. The detailing throughout the house is, essentially, original and all eight main rooms retain their original mantels.

There are five bedrooms (including a first floor master or mother-in-law suite) and three and a half bathrooms in the house, in addition to matching front parlors, formal dining room, kitchen open to a breakfast room, a charming sunroom and an unusual cozy room off the stair landing which leads to an added upstairs bonus room (which also has a large cedar closet and a small bar). There are four zoned central heating and air systems, and much of the house’s mechanical infrastructure has been updated and enhanced. A deep back yard has mature trees and a small water feature.
Remarkably, the house has had few owners throughout its almost 170 years, which explains why so much of the house is historically intact. The current owners have lived in the house and cherished it for forty-five years, and the Smalls owned it for half a century before that.

Rarely does one of Macon’s important historical and architectural treasures come on the market. This is one of the best, not only in Macon but in the Southeast.