Carter-Evans House, 603 South Harris Street, Sandersville

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA-2365. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The house faces Georgia State Road 15 (Harris Street) and was once a part of a larger plantation. The house is of frame Greek Revival design, originally built with two rooms opening onto a central hall and a detached kitchen connected by a breezeway. The front porch originally extended across the full width of the house. There are two stuccoed interior chimneys which extend above the roof line and are capped by restrained stucco work featuring block work at the corners and flared tops. The original foundation is a continuous brick wall. The roof is hipped and covered by shingles. The house is covered by overlapping clapboard except on the west facade which has flush siding protected by a portico. Doric pilasters separate the flush siding from the clapboard.

The portico is supported by four doric columns. The entrance has two four-light sidelights and a four-light transom. Entry in the front is by two narrow double doors framed by fluted molding with corner blocks. Original windows are six over six sash windows with louvered shutters. CARTER-EV ANS HOUSE HABS No. GA-2365 (page 2) Under a part of the original main house is a root cellar. The walls are brick with a wood plank ceiling. The floor is hard packed earth and small windows near the ceiling provide light and air. The original house interior has pine floors and plaster walls. I . The ceiling is three inch boards grooved to give an appearance of narrow wood. Picture molding is in the living room with larger molding at the ceiling.

The interior panel doors have mitered frames without comer blocks. The mantles are wood shelves supported by doric pilasters. Changes in the house have occurred over time. The front porch, which originally extended across the front of the house, was reduced to its present form around This required the elimination of shutters near the porch. The breezeway connecting the original house to the kitchen has been enclosed creating a bedroom and an additional bedroom with bath has been added to the east end of the kitchen. On the north side of the house a porch and an extension has been added. The extension contains a bath. In addition, a screened porch has been added at the rear of the house along the north side. A servants' quarters, smoke house and stable were located on the property.

The smoke house was removed by a previous owner, the stable is a converted garage and was added at a later date. The servants' quarters is a one-room house with a fireplace and exterior brick chimney. The front and back have shed porches which have been screened. HISTORY: The Carter-Evans House was built in by General Thomas Jefferson Warthen for his daughter when she married William W. Carter. During the Civil War, General Warthen's nine- year-old daughter begged General Sherman not to burn their home and outbuildings, thereby saving them from destruction. Joseph Wheeler, a General of the Confederacy, used the house as a Headquarters during the War. General Warthen was commander of the Sandersville Volunteers which fought for the Confederacy.

He was killed at the Battle of Melburn Hill in Virginia. CARTER-EV ANS HOUSE HABS No. GA-2365 (page 3) The property is presently owned by the Geo. D. Warthen Bank which is transferring title to the house and buildings to Mr. Robert E. Lanier. Mr. Lanier will relocate the buildings to the John S. Jackson Plantation House property, National Historic Register near White Plains, Georgia.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA-2365. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Federal Highway Administration; Atlanta, Georgia. Architecture of Middle Georgia: The Oconee Area; Finley, John; University of Georgia Press; Athens, Georgia. History of Washington County; Mitchell, Ella; Printing Company; Atlanta, Georgia. Sandersville Progress; Newman, Byrdie Y.; Washington County Historical Society; Evans, Mary; Georgia Department of Transportation; Atlanta, Georgia. PREPARED BY: F. Martin Salmon Senior Consultant, KDA, Inc., Atlanta, Georgia October 13, CARTER-EVANS HOUSE HABS No. GA-2365 (page 4) - - - - - - - -" --; 1 ~ I &. ... n. er I ~ IJ..l I I ~ I I i I I I - - - - -- - - ~~ -- -- ~ ----I I ! I ! I I I i I I ! - I ! '- i I i lU ! I - Q T I ::; \JJ I In I I ::r I a I I I I I I - -- r - I I I I I :t. I ~ ! I I I II I I c .. ~ ~I \U. z.. \1J O"' ... I I IL!

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