3600 Old Lost Mountain Road (House), Powder Springs

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA,34-POWSP.V,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

This vernacular dwelling with Greek Revival-style features retains its ca. central hallway design and use of materials. The building has been altered, but the changes are concentrated mostly at the rear. The dwelling appears to be one of the Powder Springs community's oldest buildings and survives from a period of rapid settlement and agricultural development that shaped Cobb County during the nineteenth century and impacted it into the early twentieth century. While the dwelling is indicative of the county's rural past, the surrounding area is fast chang- ing due to increased suburbanization and commercial development. OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No. GA-2327 (Page 2) PART

Physical Setting

The dwelling at Old Lost Mountain Road was likely constructed in the This date is approximate and is based on physical inspection of the building, evidence from period maps, and information supplied by one of the current owners. Because of its mortise and tenon framing, central hallway design, and use of Greek Revival-style elements, the dwelling appears to date to the mid-nineteenth century. Civil War-era maps of the Atlanta area, compiled in the field by the Union Army, depict the Powder Springs area in one close-up map and two regional maps (Cowles Plates and The close-up map (Plate shows a building noted as "Winn's" in the approximate location of the dwelling. This map is at a different scale than the two regional maps, and the road network is depicted dif- ferently.

One of the regional maps (Plate shows a building noted as "Rakestraw", while the other map (Plate shows two possible buildings, one noted as "Rakestraw" and the other as "Winn". The discrepancy among the three maps cannot be clarified by deed records, as Cobb County deeds only go back as far as the and the deed search for the dwelling has been successful only back to Regardless of the discrepancy, however, it appears that a building was located in the approximate location of the dwelling in the early to mid-1860s, lending further support to a construction date of the ca. Information supplied by one of the owners indicates that the dwelling was likely built in the mid-1850s John A.

Gelly, personal communication According to family sources, the owner's great-great-grandfather supposedly built the dwelling in ca. The owner's grand- mother has claimed that the dwelling burned during the Civil War and that the current dwelling was moved from another location to its existing site after the burning. The owner, however, has noted that this account has never been documented or corroborated. Although the family history information is sketchy, it points to a mid-nineteenth-century construction date and agrees with the information supplied by physical inspection and the period maps. It is not known if the dwelling was designed and/ or constructed by an architect or builder.

As noted above, the name of the original owner is also not known, although period maps indicate it may have been either Winn or Rakestraw. One of the current owners has indicated that his great-great-grandfather may have built the dwelling. As far as it is known, the dwelling has been used as a residence since its construction. A search of deed records has traced the ownership of the property as far back as It appears that between and the recent past the dwelling was occupied either by its owners or by tenants. In J. W. and J. A. Rounsaville of Floyd County, Georgia, conveyed a sizable tract of land (which included the dwelling) to W. H.

Lunsford (Cobb County Superior Court Deed Book The tract contained 227 acres, including all of land lots and 10 acres in the southwest corner of land lot and about three acres in the north- east corner of land lot 827 north of the right-of-way of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. (The rail line would not be constructed until ca. The deed reserved the right of Lunsford to move a barn and buggy house out of the railroad right-of-way. The barn or buggy house may have survived as an outbuilding currently located on the property north of the dwelling (see Part III.D).

The deed noted that one acre in land lot 827 north of the railroad right-of- way was occupied by a "negro." Because no earlier deed has been located, it is not known when the Rounsavilles first purchased the property containing the dwelling. OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No. GA-2327 (Page 3) In Lunsford sold 80 of the 227 acres, including acres in land lot 802 on which the dwelling sits, to C. T. Leeke for DB This was a large sum for 80 acres and suggests that improvements had been made to the property. The acreage included all that portion of land lots and 827 north of the railroad. Leeke bought and sold a great deal of land in the area around the turn of the century and likely did not live in the dwelling.

Leeke sold the 80 acres, along with 50 acres in land lot 801 on the opposite side of Old Lost Mountain Road, to J. M. McKinney in DB In McKinney sold the 80 acres to his wife, Bettie McKinney DB Bettie McKinney sold off portions of the tract over the next 20 years. A tract of approximately 20 acres, which included the dwelling, was sold to C. Beavert McKinney during this time. In C. Beavert McKinney sold a 1.12-acre parcel that included the dwelling to Monta L. Burdette, the daughter of Bettie McKinney, who also purchased two other tracts that were part of the original 80 acres convey- ed to her mother in DB DB The deed for the acres states that the dwelling was "the Old Home Place of the 80 acres conveyed to Bettie McKinney by J. M.

McKinney." Monta Burdette apparently did not live in the dwelling, because she is listed as a resident of Fulton County, Georgia, in when she bought the property and in when she conveyed it to her (apparent) children, Otis H. Burdette of Montgomery County, Maryland, and Betty Burdette Schneider of Fulton County DB The deed conveyed the one-acre parcel on which the dwelling sits, as well as a noncontiguous 20-acre parcel a few hundred feet north. Schneider apparently moved to the dwelling from Fulton County, because she is listed as a resident of Cobb County in when Otis H.

Burdette conveyed his interest in the property to her DB Schneider died in (Fulton County Probate Court Her will conveyed the one-acre parcel containing the dwelling and the additional 20-acre tract to Jacquelyn Irwin Browne, who was also the executrix of her will DB Browne sold the one-acre parcel to Arthur M. Gelly and Dr. John A. Gelly in DB As noted above, the Gellys are the current owners. What is known of the dwelling's original form and appearance is based exclusively on ical inspection, because no drawings or textual references have been discovered to date that denote or describe the original plan and construction of the building.

It appears that the main block of the dwelling is the original building (see floor plan sketch, page This block con- tains the front central hallway, the flanking parlors, and the four spaces immediately to the west (currently a bedroom, a hall, a bathroom, and the eastern portion of a narrow ell). These rear spaces appear original, based on physical inspection of the sill and cornice at the rear (west) wall of the bedroom. The sill exhibits mortise and tenon framing, while the boxed cornice, which matches the front cornice of the dwelling, remains visible on the interior of the rear wing within the roof framing. This physical evidence points to the early age for the rear spaces and shows that the spaces were likely part of the dwelling's original design.

It is assumed that the western portion of the ell was added later, as there is a break in the exterior clapboard siding and a corresponding break on the interior, with a change in wall and ceiling finish and a beam across the ceiling where the sections meet. It is not known when this addition was built, but it likely was constructed in the later nineteenth century, based on a OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No. GA-2327 (Page 4) hewn sill and mortise and tenon framing found in the room to the west. This room either postdates the western portion of the ell or was built at the same time, owing to the shared chimney. The front porch, although rebuilt in more recent years, likely follows the form, if not the detailing, of the historic porch.

The south side porch is a later addition; its date of con- struction is unknown. The front doorway, the fenestration, the roof shape, and the paired exterior end chimneys all appear original. Similar to the above discussion, the analysis of alterations and additions is based purely on physical inspection. Large-scale additions to the dwelling include the western portion of the narrow ell, perhaps added as a single space or built in conjunction with the larger room to the west, due to the shared chimney with fireplaces facing into each room. As noted above, both spaces appear to have been built in the later nineteenth century. It is possible that one or the other of the rooms may have functioned as a kitchen.

The next large addition to the dwelling was the two-room wing off the rear of the main block, built into the north side of the earlier rear wing. These rooms evidence early- to mid-twentieth-century construction, with balloon framing, modern, machine-cut nails, and narrow-width boards at the floors and ceilings. The south side porch was added at an unknown date. It utilizes modern materials, much like the front porch (see below). The modern, multi-light door off the porch is located in a former window opening, which was cut down at the bottom and infilled at the top to accommodate the door (scars are visible on the interior). Exterior alterations to the original section of the dwelling include the use of concrete block infill at the brick and stone pier foundation.

This treatment is also found at the foundations of the front and side porches and the rear additions. Several areas of the foundation are also cover- ed with plywood. The front porch evidences recent rebuilding, with new posts and plywood flooring and edging at the foundation. The brick and concrete steps leading to the porch are not original, although they may date to the early to middle twentieth century. These same treatments are found at the south side porch, except there the plywood edging covers the entire foundation and the steps are wood and of recent age. The two brick end chimneys and the one interior brick chimney have been covered with stucco, and the south end chimney has also been painted.

The original section of the building appears to have retained its original siding, doors, and window sash (with the exception of the window off the side porch, as noted above). The rear additions have also retained their siding, doors, and window sash, except at the west wall, where a former door has been mostly replaced with plywood and a window has lost its sash and is now infilled with plastic sheeting. Within the original section of the dwelling, the south parlor, central hallway, and narrow ell appear for the most part to have retained their historic appearance, while the north parlor and the rear spaces display modern alterations. The south parlor does evidence the modern door in the south wall leading to the side porch, and the south wall mantel is also not original.

It features heavy, rough-finished beams and a tile surround and hearth. In addition, the north wall doorway to the central hallway contains no door or surround, and the door is missing from the doorway to the narrow ell. The central hallway retains its historic features, except at the ceiling, which has been replaced with gypsum board, and at the rear doorway, which con- tains no door. The narrow ell features a later closet addition in the southeast corner, and the north wall of the eastern portion of the room has been rebuilt with modern wood studs and drywall, due to the installation of modern bathroom fixtures on the other side of the wall. The door leading to the rear wing has been removed.

The north parlor has been modernized, with OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No. GA-2327 (Page 5) drywall applied over the original board walls and a coved ceiling constructed beneath the original board ceiling. The walls and ceiling of the rear bedroom have also been covered with drywall, and wall-to-wall carpeting has been installed over the original floor. Within the rear hall, several changes have occurred, including the lowering of the ceiling, the rebuilding of the south and west walls with wood studs and drywall, and the infilling of the rear doorway with plywood. The rear bathroom displays all new finishes and fixtures, including a ceiling skylight.

The rear wing has been dramatically altered, with all interior partitions removed along with sections of the ceiling and flooring. Within the northwest corner space, all interior wall cladding has been removed. The southwest comer space evidences structural failure of the floor framing as well as partial collapse of the chimney, which is currently being supported by a pneumatic jack. Extensive water damage is evident in the northeast corner space. PART II. HISTORICAL CONTEXT Cobb County was established in out of Cherokee County. The land within the county was surveyed and divided into lots, which were distributed by lottery.

Settlers poured into the county following the lottery, most coming from Virginia, the Carolinas, and other parts of Georgia (White Temple Settlements were generally scattered as the new residents began to prepare the land for cultivation. Marietta, established as the county seat in had about one hundred inhabitants at that time and was growing steadily. Between and the start of the Civil War, the population of the county increased some 800 percent (Roth In the State of Georgia authorized the construction of a state-owned railroad from the Tennessee state line near Chattanooga to a point on the Chattahoochee River where a con- nection could most easily be made with other private lines that had already been authorized. That point was the site of what would become Atlanta.

Service was established on the Western & Atlantic Railroad from Atlanta to Marietta in connecting Cobb County with the rest of the state, and the rail was completed to Chattanooga by (Temple The establishment of the railroad was important to the growth of Cobb County, and by the time of the Civil War a number of manufacturing concerns had been established, including the Sweetwater Factory, which produced yarn, the Sope Creek Paper Mills, and the Roswell cotton mills (Cobb County Federal Savings and Loan Even with this industrial growth, Cobb County's economy was based primarily on agriculture during the antebellum period. The vast majority of its citizens were involved in growing corn, wheat, and, to some extent, cotton, and raising livestock.

A small minority of merchants, bankers, doctors, and lawyers served this dispersed farm population from small crossroads communities, offering the few goods and services that could not be provided by the farm. During the three decades prior to the Civil War, the counties of the Georgia Piedmont had come to rely on the plantation system and slavery for the production of cotton, which soon became the number one cash crop in the state. Cobb County, like other counties in northwest Georgia where climate and terrain were not as suitable for plantations, did not wholly embrace the plantation system. Farms tended to be smaller because of this, and the slave population was OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No.

GA-2327 (Page 6) low relative to the counties of the lower Piedmont. In of the county's in- habitants were slaves (Temple Slaveholdings in Cobb County tended to be smaller than those in the lower Piedmont as well. In only five farmers in Cobb owned more than 50 slaves; by comparison, Monroe County in middle Georgia had 26 farmers who had 50 or more slaves. Although the large plantation was uncommon in Cobb County, cotton was still produced in large quantities. Cotton, corn, and wheat represented the three main cash crops in the county prior to the war (Wood and Wood Powder Springs was established in as Springville and attracted visitors from the southern coastal region to its seven springs.

The Native Americans called the springs Gunpowder Springs because of the sulfur odor and an accompanying blackish film that resembled gun- powder. The first sawmill was reportedly built in and the first frame house in A Baptist church was founded in antedating the incorporation of the town, and in the church split into Primitive and Missionary Baptist congregations. A Methodist church was organized in Powder Springs was the social and commercial center for the surrounding agricultural population during the nineteenth century, and it offered hotel and boarding facilities for visitors to the springs, the waters of which were sometimes prescribed by physicians. At least three hotels were in operation in the (Heyn et al. Cobb County would prove to be an important battleground in the Civil War.

Because of its location across the Chattahoochee from the railroad center at Atlanta along the important Western & Atlantic Railroad, and because of its rugged terrain well suited to defensive positions, the county was of strategic significance in the defense of Atlanta. William T. Sherman was put in charge of the Union army's Atlanta campaign in the spring of His goal was to drive a wedge into the South and to keep Johnston's Confederate army occupied while Grant tried to break Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. Sherman was in command of three armies totaling approximately men in May Johnston, meanwhile, had only about half that many. Johnston's defensive strategy involved carefully executed retreats to prepared defensive positions in the mountainous countryside of North Georgia.

In this way, he could engage Sherman on his terms, keeping his own losses low and luring Sherman deeper into Confederate territory, which would endanger his supply line. Sherman recognized Johnston's strategy and countered by using his superior numbers to flank Johnston, often forcing him to retreat before being able to inflict much damage. The two armies maneuvered in this way from Dalton to Cobb County, with engagements at Rocky Face, Dug Gap, Resaca, Cassville, Pickett's Mill, and New Hope Church (Scaife Johnston's line in Cobb County stretched from Lost Mountain in the west to just north of Kennesaw Mountain in the east.

Between June 14 and 18, Sherman pushed into the Con- federate lines, finally forcing Johnston to abandon his advance position and retreat to the extensive works constructed on Kennesaw Mountain. Sherman had now tired of flanking maneuvers and determined that a frontal assault on the formidable line at Kennesaw would be worth the inevitable cost. Although he did suffer great losses at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, by late June Sherman's men occupied Marietta (McPherson Sherman's next major task was to secure a crossing of the Chattahoochee. As Sherman tested various areas north and south of the railroad crossing, Johnston constructed an impressive defensive line on the north side of the river from the Western & Atlantic railroad crossing south to the mouth of Nickajack Creek.

Sherman determined that an attack on the line would be foolish OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No. GA-2327 (Page 7) and instead feinted to the right, while securing a crossing upriver, against a small contingent of cavalry pickets. The first troops crossed the Chattahoochee at Sope Creek on July 7, and were followed by the rest of the Union army at various points along the river. Once across the river, Sherman's troops were deployed around the city. When the Confederate forces abandoned Lost Mountain in June, they swung their line south to a position along Mud Creek, to the east of Powder Springs. The Union cavalry continued to operate from Lost Mountain, and Stoneman's cavalry fought an engagement there.

Even after Sherman had secured the crossing of the Chattahoochee, federal detachments continued to occupy key points in Cobb County. Pickets were established at Kennesaw Mountain to pro- tect the railroad there, and frequent patrols were sent to Lost Mountain and Powder Springs. Cavalry patrols ranged back and forth in and around Powder Springs and along the Sandtown Road during this time (Temple The movement of the two armies through the countryside of Georgia devastated the land. The Confederate army cut down much of the timber to construct their works, and houses, fields, bridges, and other improvements were destroyed by the Union army and by artillery and in- tense musketry fire.

In addition, although it was officially discouraged, both armies scavenged for food and looted valuables, which continued even after the war (Temple Although town and field were virtually destroyed by the war, and despite the scarcity of supplies and money, residents were determined to rebuild the county's economy. Mills destroyed during the war were rebuilt in the and and a number of new manu- factories opened as well (Temple Emancipation of the slaves meant the collapse of the plantation system, which had under- pinned the Southern economy for many years. Nevertheless, it did not seriously threaten the dominance of the cotton economy, as the high price of cotton following the war encouraged a "cotton fever" throughout the South.

After experiments with a federally enforced wage-labor system and with gang and squad labor, Southern farmers began to favor a variety of tenancy arrangements, in which a tenant worked the owner's land for a fixed payment or, more com- monly, a share of the crop, as a substitute for the plantation system (Orser Although not as reliant on the plantation system as other regions of Georgia, Cobb County was not able to escape the stifling effects of the tenant system.

In the majority of farms in the county were operated by the owner, but by two-thirds of the county's farms were oper- ated by tenants (Scott Despite fluctuating prices, cotton remained the chief pro- duct of agriculture on Cobb County farms throughout the first four decades of the twentieth century, although other products were produced as well, including corn, dairy products, and cattle. In the and low cotton prices and an economy faltering from dependence on imported products encouraged diversification in agriculture and increased industrialization. By less than 20 percent of the county's farms were growing cotton (Roth In the decades following the Civil War, railroad connections made Powder Springs important as a gathering place for the surrounding farming community.

Despite steady growth into the twentieth century, the area remained primarily rural. The town was not listed in census schedules separately from the surrounding militia district until During the first half of the twentieth century, no more than 25 percent of the population of the militia district lived in town. The population in was 262 (Roth OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No. GA-2327 (Page 8) Most of the buildings in the commercial center of Powder Springs date to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

The town experienced an economic decline as a result of the boll weevil and the Depression, and little new business was developed after the The Coats and Clark Thread Mill in Clarkdale, opened in and the Bell Bomber Plant, opened in both helped the local economy by providing jobs and supporting local merchants and service providers. The community changed little in the 50 years following World War II, but is currently being encroached upon by modem development (Heyn et al. PART III. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement This vernacular building is a relatively intact, ca. central hallway dwelling with Greek Revival-style characteristics. The dwelling appears to be one of the oldest buildings in the community of Powder Springs.

Alterations to the dwelling are minor in most instances or are concentrated at the rear of the building. The main block of the dwelling retains its original form, especially in the front (east) spaces. Original materials exist both on the exterior of the building and in the east spaces of the main block. The Greek Revival-style characteristics of the main block include the central hallway plan, the symmetrical fenestration, the balanced exterior end chimneys, the use of side lights at the front entrance, the corner boards, the boxed cornice, and the molded fascia board and cornice returns in the gables.

On the interior of the main block, the Greek Revival-style elements include the heavy baseboard, the simple door and window surrounds, the paneled wainscoting and molded mantelpiece in the north parlor, the high ceilings, and the multi-light window sash. The condition of the main block of the dwelling varies from good to excellent, both on the exterior and on the interior. The condition of the rear spaces, however, ranges from fair in the western portion of the narrow ell to deteriorated in the spaces of the rear wing. The deteriora- tion is due to structural failure of the floor framing and rear chimney along with damage caused by extensive water penetration. B. Description of Exterior The dwelling is one story in height and three bays wide across the front (east) facade.

The L-shaped building consists of a rectangular main block joined with a square rear wing. The main block contains a central hallway flanked by two symmetrical rooms, with four smaller spaces-a bedroom, a hall, a bathroom, and a narrow ell-located immediately to the rear. The narrow ell, located at the southwest comer of the main block, was likely extended in the nineteenth century beyond the plane of the main section and joined with a square room to the west. Two additional rooms were built in the twentieth century along the north side of the earlier rear wing, giving the dwelling its current plan and shape. Refer to page 17 for a graphic depiction of the building's floor plan. The dwelling sits on a foundation of brick and stone piers with later concrete block infill in most locations.

The brick piers greatly outnumber the stone piers, with only two stone piers in evidence: one at the northeast comer of the front porch and the other at the south junction of OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No. GA-2327 (Page 9) the main block and the front porch. Several of the brick piers supporting the main block appear newer, indicating that earlier stone and/ or brick piers were replaced in the recent past. Modem plywood has been used to cover the foundation in several areas. The exterior walls of the main block are clad in clapboard siding, except at the front facade beneath the porch roof, where flush horizontal boards have been used. The rear wing also has clapboard siding, except for an area of wood drop siding at the west wall of the northwest room.

Comer boards with molded tops survive at the northwest comer of the main block and at the southern junction of the main block and the front porch. Some of the clap-boards at the north wall of the rear wing have been removed. At the rear sill of the main block near the northwest comer, there is evidence of mortise and tenon framing. No other areas of framing are exposed in this manner; however, based on this evidence, it is assumed that the main block has a mortise and tenon framing system through- out. At the west wall of the rear wing near the southwest comer, there is evidence of a hewn sill, although the wall studs have been toe-nailed into the sill. On the interior of the space, however, there is evidence of mortise and tenon framing at the former north wall.

This evi- dence, together with the hewn sill, would seem to indicate that the southwest rear room (and likely the western portion of the narrow ell) utilizes a mortise and tenon framing system. The twentieth-century rooms within the rear wing display a balloon framing system using modem, machine-made nails. Several of the sills and floor joists are comprised of built-up two-by- fours. The roof framing in these rooms shows signs of having been sistered into the framing of the earlier south wing. The front (east) porch of the dwelling is an inset porch, supported by six wood posts. The posts are of recent construction, being comprised of modem boards and nails. Each post rests on a square base and features a similar square cap with a molded edge beneath.

The floor of the porch is comprised of plywood sheets, with plywood edging extending down to conceal part of the foundation. The porch foundation, as noted, consists of brick and stone piers with later concrete block infill. The ceiling of the porch is made up of flush boards, running north to south. A set of four poured concrete steps with brick cheek walls leads to the porch from the front concrete walk. The side (south) porch is an attached shed-roofed porch, supported by four wood posts. The posts are of the same construction as the front porch posts, except that they have no bases and only simple square caps. The porch floor is of plywood, and the ceiling is comprised of flush boards running east to west.

Plywood panels cover the entire foundation, which consists of brick piers with concrete block infill. A set of four, open, wood steps leads to the porch from the side yard. It appears that the porch roof is covered with asphalt roll roofing sealed with tar. The west side of the rear wing features a set of six, open, wood steps that lead to a small wood landing outside a rear door. The north side of the wing features six concrete steps that access a door leading to the northeast space. The main block of the dwelling features two exterior end chimneys. Both are of brick and have been stuccoed. The south chimney has been painted white. Each is symmetrically placed with- in its respective wall, and each features shoulders as it begins to taper near the top of the wall.

OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No. GA-2327 (Page 10) An interior brick chimney, also stuccoed, is located at the junction of the narrow ell and the southwestern rear room. The single-leaf, wood door at the east side of the main section features four recessed panels with molded edges. Flanking the door are five-light sidelights, each placed above a single panel with a molded edge. The door and sidelights are surrounded by a bead molding and are set in a larger surround with a molded edge. The wood door at the side porch is a modern, single- leaf door with fifteen lights. It is set in a former window opening and has no surround. The north side of the rear wing features a single-leaf, wood door with one large light over three horizontal panels.

The west side of the rear wing displays the remnants of a paneled door, which have been nailed to a sheet of plywood. This "door" and the door at the north side of the wing are set in simple board surrounds. The windows of the two front parlors contain six-over-six, double-hung wood sash, set in simple board surrounds with board sills. The north and south side window surrounds have a molded edge, while those at the east side have no edge molding. The windows of the north- west rear bedroom and the narrow ell feature nine-over-six, double-hung wood sash, set in simple board surrounds with board sills. These windows also have an edge molding at the surround.

The rear wing contains a variety of windows and sash types, including the remains of a six-over-six, double-hung wood sash window at the northeast room and two four-over- four, double-hung wood sash windows at the northwest room. The northwest room also has a window opening without sash that has been infilled with plastic sheeting. The southwest room contains two nine-over-six, double-hung sash windows; the west window has been covered with plywood, however. All of the rear wing windows display simple board surrounds and board sills. The main block of the dwelling features a side-gabled roof covered with composition asphalt shingles. As noted above, the south side porch has a shed roof covered with asphalt roll roofing sealed with tar.

The narrow ell and southwest rear room are under a gabled roof that lies perpendicular to the main block roof. The northwest rear room is under a gabled roof that lies perpendicular to the roof of the ell and the southwest room. Both of these roofs are covered with composition asphalt shingles. The northeast rear room has a shed roof that lies between the gabled roofs of the main block and the northwest rear room. This roof is covered with a combination of sheet metal and asphalt roll roofing. A boxed cornice runs along the east side of the main block and along the northern half of the west side of the block.

(As noted above, the west cornice continues on the interior of the rear wing and is visible within the roof framing of the wing.) A boxed cornice also extends along the south side porch and along the south side of the narrow ell and southwest rear room. The northwest rear room displays a boxed cornice at its east and west sides and within the eastern half of its north-facing gable (the cornice within the western half has been removed). All of the dwelling's boxed cornices have an applied fascia board on the vertical face of the cornice. The various gables of the dwelling feature a molded fascia board, and the two main block gables also exhibit molded cornice returns. OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No. GA-2327 (Page 11) C.

Description of Interior The general layout of the dwelling is as follows. The main entrance to the building is through the door in the center of the east facade of the main block, within the inset front porch. This door leads directly into the central hallway, which in tum accesses the parlors to the north and south and the rear hall to the west. The rear hall accesses the northwest comer bedroom to the north and the modern bathroom to the south. The west wall of the rear hall contains an opening to the rear wing; however, this opening has been infilled with plywood. The south parlor leads to the south side porch via a modem door in the south wall. A doorway in the west wall of the south parlor accesses the narrow ell.

Within the eastern portion of the ell, there is a later closet addition, while in the western portion, there is a doorway to the rear wing. Because of the removal of all interior partitions, the rear wing is essentially one large space, although the presence of wall studs indicates that the wing formerly contained at least three spaces. Refer to the floor plan sketch (page 17) for a graphic depiction of the layout. The flooring in the central hallway, rear hall, north and south parlors, and narrow ell consists of 7" pine boards running in a north-south direction. The only exception is the area around the hearth in the south parlor, which has 5" boards. The northwestern bedroom presumably has the same type of flooring, although it is not visible due to wall-to-wall carpeting.

The bath- room has a plywood floor. The rear wing has lost much of its flooring; however, enough remains in place to determine its type and pattern. The southwest space has 3" pine floor- boards running east-west, while the northwest space has 3" pine floorboards running north- south. The northeast space has a plywood floor. All board flooring in the dwelling has been stained a dark brown color. The walls of the central hallway are finished with horizontal, tongue-and-groove boards, measuring 11" wide by 3/ 4" thick. At the base of the walls is a heavy baseboard with a molded top edge. The baseboard is approximately 11" tall. The hallway ceiling has been covered with gypsum board.

The south parlor exhibits the same wall finish and baseboard as the hallway but has a ceiling comprised of 11"-wide boards running north-to-south. The walls and ceiling of the north parlor, presumably similar to those in the south parlor, have been covered with drywall. Most of the decorative wood trim in the room has been retained, however. The baseboard is approximately 8" tall and features a molded top edge. Paneled wainscoting extends around all four walls of the room and exhibits a pronounced rounded nosing at its top.

The rear hall displays a mixture of finishes, including drywall at the south and west walls and the ceiling; 11" boards at the east wall (a small section in the northeast comer only); 3" boards at the north wall; and an 11"-tall baseboard like that found in the main hallway. The north- west bedroom features drywall at the ceiling and walls and a baseboard similar to that found in the other spaces. The bathroom has been completely remodeled and contains no historic finishes or trim. The narrow ell has 11" boards at the east, west, and south walls; 5" boards at the western end of the north wall; and drywall at the eastern end of the north wall (due to remodeling for the bathroom on the other side of the wall).

The ceiling is made up of the same wide boards as used in the south parlor, except that the boards run north-south in the eastern portion of the ell and east-west in the western portion (the ceiling beam is the dividing line). The ell also features the same tall baseboard as seen in the other spaces. The rear wing, although deteriorated, retains some of its historic finishes. The southwest space displays 11" OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No. GA-2327 (Page 12) boards at the west wall and 7" boards at the east and south walls and ceiling (the north wall has been removed and only the framing remains). The northwest space has no interior wall cladding-the rear side of the exterior siding is visible-and the ceiling displays 3" boards.

The northeast space retains portions of a drywall ceiling and exhibits 7" boards at the north wall, plywood at the east wall, and framing members only at the south and west walls. All of the doors within the dwelling have been removed from their doorways, except for two doors that access the north parlor and the northwest bedroom. These are single-leaf, wood doors with two recessed, vertical panels each. Within the narrow ell, there are two paneled doors leaning against a wall and a third door leaning against the doorway between the ell and the rear wing. This door is a single-leaf, wood door with two smaller panels over one large panel.

The door surrounds within the dwelling include plain surrounds with molded edges and/ or slight moldings at the jambs and lintels, located in the central hallway, north parlor, rear hall, and northwest bedroom, and plain surrounds without moldings, located in the south parlor, narrow ell, and rear wing. The doorway at the front entrance features a large surround with a molded edge. At the east wall of the rear hall, there is a remnant of a surround that is similar to those in the central hallway, except that it is taller. The rest of the surround has been removed or concealed due to the improvements made to the bathroom. The bathroom doorway has no surrounds. The dwelling contains a variety of window surrounds.

The three windows in the north parlor display a plain surround with an edge molding and a sill that is actually the top nosing of the wainscoting. The two windows in the south parlor, as well as the two in the northwest bedroom and the two in the narrow ell, feature plain surrounds with inner and edge moldings, rounded nosings, and fascia boards beneath the nosings. The northwest space within the rear wing exhibits no window surrounds, while the northeast space and the south window of the southwest space display plain surrounds without moldings. The west window of the southwest space features a plain surround with a rounded nosing and a molding beneath. Four mantelpieces are located within the dwelling, one of them modern and the others historic.

The modern mantelpiece is located in the south parlor and is comprised of heavy, rough- finished beams with a tile surround and hearth. The mantelpiece in the narrow ell features a pair of board pilasters, made up of a base, shaft, and capital, supporting a wide board frieze. The shaft of each pilaster has molded edges and is separated from the base and capital by a thin bead molding. The frieze has a bead molding along its bottom edge and a flat mantel shelf at its top. A fascia board with clipped ends and a bottom molding lies below the shelf. The mantelpiece in the rear wing has been partially removed, owing to the deterioration of the chimney and fireplace. What remains is a pair of plain board pilasters, a plain board frieze, and a mantel shelf with clipped ends.

Beneath the shelf is a fascia board also with clipped ends. The north parlor mantelpiece is the most detailed mantelpiece in the dwelling, with a pair of paneled pilasters supporting a plain frieze, an elaborate cornice, and a mantel shelf. The shaft of each pilaster features two recessed panels with edge moldings, separated from the plain capital by a bead molding. The frieze has a bead molding along its bottom edge, while the cornice is composed of a series of fillet, bead, cavetto, and ovolo moldings. The mantel shelf is a plain board stained a dark brown color. The dwelling contains some notable hardware, such as the Corbin box lock on the interior side of the front door.

The metal knob is highly decorative, with both geometric and natural designs OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No. GA-2327 (Page 13) stamped into it. The exterior side of the door features a metal knob and an elaborate key plate. The door to the north parlor features a box lock on the interior side, porcelain knobs on both sides of the door, and a brass escutcheon on the side facing the hallway. The dwelling would have been heated originally by the fireplaces and perhaps by stoves (a sealed stovepipe is evident above the mantelpiece in the narrow ell). Original ventilation would have been achieved by opening the windows and doors. Modem HVAC ductwork is present in the rear wing, and an exterior fan unit is located at the base of the north wall of the wing.

The dwelling contains no original lighting, plumbing fixtures, or furnishings. D. Site The trees in the front yard of the dwelling and the front and south side yards themselves appear to be the only surviving features of the historic landscape. The trees are noted chiefly by the three cedar trees planted in a line near the road. Other hardwoods and evergreens dot the front yard, along with several shrubs. The side yard is relatively open, containing the dirt driveway that leads from the road to the side porch. The front yard features a concrete walk that starts near the road and extends to the base of the front porch steps. This feature is likely historic. There are numerous foundation plantings on all sides of the dwelling, but it is not known if these are historic plantings.

The wild vegetation to the south and west of the dwelling is likely not historic. The property currently contains no outbuildings. A small, deteriorated brick feature lies near the southwest comer of the rear wing, but its original purpose and date of construction are unknown. A small frame barn or shed lies in the property to the north of the dwelling. It may have been associated with the dwelling at one time; however, evidence of such a relationship has not yet been documented through research. PART IV. SOURCES OF INFORMATION No architectural drawings or early views of the dwelling have been located to date. The following primary and secondary sources were consulted for the preparation of this report. Cobb County Federal Savings and Loan Historic Cobb County.

Cobb County Federal Savings and Loan, Marietta, Georgia. Cobb County Superior Court Deed Records. On file, Cobb County Courthouse, Marietta, Georgia. Cowles, Calvin D. (compiler) The Official Military Atlas of the Civil War. Reprinted. Fairfax Press, New York. Originally published in as Atlas to Accompany the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Government Printing Office, Washington, OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No. GA-2327 (Page 14) Fulton County Probate Court Will of Betty Irwin Burdette Schneider. Estate file No. On file, Fulton County Courthouse, Atlanta. Heyn, Pia, Mary Louise Hudgins, Mary Beth Ormsby, Carol R. Sams, and Wendy Taylor Powder Springs Historic District: Historic District Information Form (Draft).

On file, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Historic Preservation Section, Atlanta. McPherson, James M. Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. Ballantine Books, New York. Orser, Charles E., Jr. The Material Basis of the Postbellum Tenant Plantation: Historical Archaeology in the South Carolina Piedmont. University of Georgia Press, Athens. Roth, Darlene R. Architecture, Archaeology and Landscapes: Resources for Historic Preservation in Unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia. Submitted to and published by the Cobb County Historic Preservation Commission, Cobb County, Georgia. Scaife, William R. The Campaign for Atlanta. Published by the author, Atlanta. Scott, Thomas Allan Cobb County, Georgia, A Socioeconomic Study of an Upper Piedmont County.

dissertation, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Temple, Sarah Blackwell Gober The First Hundred Years: A Short History of Cobb County, in Georgia. Walter W. Brown Publishing Company, Atlanta. White, George Statistics of the State of Georgia. W. Thorne Williams, Savannah, Georgia. Wood, W. Dean, and Karen G. Wood Soldiers and Citizens: Civil War Actions around Latimer's Farm, Cobb County, Georgia. Southeastern Archeological Services, Athens, Georgia. Submitted to Marietta Country Club, Marietta, Georgia. PART

Project Information

This report was prepared in the fall of as mitigation for proposed impacts to the dwell- ing at Old Lost Mountain Road. Consultation in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of as amended, among the Cobb County (Georgia) Department of Transportation, the Georgia Historic Preservation Division, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, determined that construction of the proposed Powder OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No. GA-2327 (Page 15) Springs Parkway would necessitate the removal of the dwelling from its present site. This consultation led to the formulation of a Memorandum of Agreement, which stipulated that Historic American Buildings Survey documentation would be prepared.

In addition, the dwelling is to be moved to a new site in Westville Village, Stewart County, Georgia. The recordation of the dwelling at Old Lost Mountain Road was undertaken by TRC Garrow Associates, Inc., of Atlanta, and sponsored by the Cobb County Department of Transportation. M. Todd Cleveland served as project manager and prepared the architectural sections of this report. Jeffrey L. Holland conducted the background research and prepared the historical sections of this report. Vincent G. Macek took the large-format photographs and prepared the sketch plans, with assistance in the field from Leigh Allen. OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No. GA-2327 (Page 16) SITE PLAN SHOWING LOCATION OF HOUSE IN THE AREA OF COBB COUNTY, GEORGIA Scale 1" =approx.

Miles 0 Miles 0.5 MARIETTA STREET OLD LOST ~J hn Gelly House) OUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur an No. GA-2327 (Page 17) SITE PLAN Scale 1" = 50' w _J () a: b -~r ~o (3 >- :r: J ~ \ / \ OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD -- -- -- ~ Ce~~.~~:~}/' -- F I ,, 11 .cedar / / / 0 1 GELLY ..I HOUSE v \, ~ F ~ I I OLD LOST MOUNTAIN ROAD (Arthur and John Gelly House) HABS No. GA-2327 (Page 18)

Floor Plan

Scale = l' - O" - r- 4 2 ' - 3 " _ _ 1 Parlor Hall Parlor ~ Co C\J Bedroom Hall Bathroom b M L{) Kitchen? Use unknown ~ ir- - - I I L{) ~ C\J Use Kitchen? unknown