Rome has a myriad of historical homes in the heart of the city. Here we will show you the first in a three-part series showcasing the homes of Roman history.
1.) Rose Hill – 312 East Fourth Ave.
The original house on this lot was occupied by General Sherman himself, but was burned down when he left. This house was designed after the Gordon-Lee Mansion in Chickamauga, Ga.
2.) The Columns of Rome – 206 East Fourth Ave.
The Columns was built in 1910 for affluent businessman and then Mayor of Rome, T.W. Lipscomb.
3.) 302 East Fourth Ave.
Built in 1872 by a prominent merchant whose wife later died in childbirth. A fire damaged the house and after workers removed a mirror above the fireplace, there remained an untouched silhouette of a mother holding two small children. A brick slave house was originally located on this plot and this home was built over it.
4.) House of Dreams – Berry College
The House of Dreams sits atop the mountain at Berry College and was built by past students as a gift to the founder, Martha Berry. If ever she needed to get away from the world she would just hike to her second home where she could have an amazing view of the campus and enjoy peace undisturbed.
5.) Von Gammon Home – 420 East Third Avenue
The home of the “Woman who saved football.” Mrs. Gammon petitioned the governor to veto a bill outlawing the sport after her son, Von, died of injuries during the Georgia-Virginia game on Oct. 31, 1897.
6.) 304 East Fourth Ave.
One of the few Greek revival structures in downtown Rome. This house was once the home of Reverend Samuel Axson. His daughter, Ellen Louise Axson, became the wife of Woodrow Wilson, the 28th president of the United States.
7.) Twin Gables – 418 East Third Ave.
Once the home of Dr. Henry Halsey Battey, son of the famous surgeon Dr. Robert Battey, the Victorian gingerbread has been restored to its original state.
8.) 319 East Fourth Ave.
A Victorian cottage featuring gingerbread architecture inside and outside. Before the house was built, General Sherman’s horses grazed on the lawn.
Gorgeous Photos of Rome’s Historic Homes Part-2
Picture 5 is 414 E 3rd Ave. It was finished in 1904 and was built on a double lot by Mr. Charles Simmons. The Von Gammon house is located at 420 E 3rd ave. My family is the fourth family to live at 414 E.3rd Avenue.
Thanks for pointing that out. The post has been updated with the correct photo.
I grew up there…my daddy who was in the Army brought us here…my beautiful mama servived the bombing of Tokyo…but she loved being an American after getting her citizenship..anyway, daddy wanted us to grow up here so we did…love my home town..came here as a 4 or 5 year old but my friends tell me I still have my southern accent after all these years..have family still living there…brother’s name is Tom Clark…thank you for sharing these pictures of my beautiful home town…have a great day…keep up the great work..
I really enjoyed the article. Rome has so many hidden gems.
This makes me miss my hometown even more.
I believe there is an error in the article regarding the second home. I believe Sherman occupied a home on the next block of fourth Ave where the Brock’s lived not the property of the columns. Perhaps I am mistaken. I would like to learn whatever Rome historians know about this.
Sherman actually stayed in the first home, which is Rose Hill. The Columns was inhabited by Mayor Lipscomb.
Love these photos. I would love to see the insides! I would love to see a tour of homes featuring three or four every year!
I love the pictures. Please do more. All of the homes on the hill. The oldest home is on east 3rd ave
Thank you very much for posting this updated version of your source, which is this older website/brochure that is now without photographs: http://romegeorgia.com/historicdistrict.html
It makes the same error you did regarding 420 and 414 E. 3rd Ave. There are other errors in this older version, some caused by the passage of time since its publication. E.g., our house at 203 E. 4th Ave. has had an enclosed side porch for probably 60 years (not the wraparound it notes), was built in 1876, not 1885 as stated, and has by now had many more than three owners as the brochure states. The Lipscomb house (the Columns) was built in 1910 on what was once the front yard of an older Italianate Victorian home on the lot behind it now occupied by the small brick apartment building. I don’t know whether the older home, which had a nice tower, burned or was torn down.
Thanks again and all the best.
Thanks for your input! We have corrected the error regarding 420 and 414 E. 3rd Ave. We are pulling some information from that old brochure and are going to be updating it soon with color photos and a better format. I have taken your notes down so that we have correct info on your house. As for the information about the Columns, we appreciate the extra information.
Also, I should clarify that your comments were never deleted, it’s just that comments aren’t shown until they are approved on the article.
Really loved seeing these beautiful homes. As a young lad just after WWII I delivered the Atlanta Journal to
many of the homes on East Third and Fourth Avenues. I must say, they certainly look better today!
I am a Rome native who left just after college graduation (1956).
Thank you for your post. I moved from Rome in 1967 but your posts bring back a homesickness I thought I was over. I really enjoy seeing pictures of Rome.
Regarding 312 E 4th Avenue: Original house on this lot was a frame gothic revival style house. This home was known as Rose Hill because at the time it was built its beautiful gardens occupied the entire block between 3rd and 4th Avenues and Streets. The home was owned by Charles Henry Smith, the top syndicated columnist in the South before the Civil War. He later wrote under name of Bill Arp. When Union forces captured Rome they chose the Smith house as their headquarters. There is a photo of Sherman’s officers sitting at their dining table which had been moved into the front yard. Sherman did NOT burn the house but the contents were evidently taken. The original house was purchased by the Hight family in 1890 and subsequently was torn down to provide for construction of the current brick Greek Revival structure in 1909/1910. Mary Lee Hight had grown up in the Gordon-Lee house in Chickamaga, also a brick Greek Revival. The Hights owned the property until about 1959 when they sold to the Brock family who owned the house until they sold to the present owners in 2011.
Do you go outside of Rome to feature historic homes. I have one in Cave Spring, Ga built in early 1800s
Currently, we are only featuring homes in the Between the Rivers District. Though we may expand in the future to other areas in Floyd County.
I love these photos and the brief history on them. Makes me want to learn more
Your comments concerning the home we call the Hight Home and you call Rose Hill, are not totally correct. Mr. Gordon Hight built the home for his wife. It is a copy of the Gordon-Lee Manison in Chickamauga. Sherman was there but he did not burn this house down. Sherman was pictured on the property in front of the original home that sat there. That house might have been burned down. When Mr. Hight died, the instructions in his will said to sell the house. Crawford Brock bought the house at that time, in 1959/60.
302 East 4th avenue was actually built in 1872, on top of a brick slave house (still in the basement). I have copies of all the deeds back to 1872.
Really cool, Nic! Great job!
I would be very interested in a tour of homes. Is there one for Christmas 2017
Unfortunately we are not aware of any tours for homes going on. These tours are coordinated by the Between the Rivers Association. Another way you can see these homes, is being a part of the Shakespeare Progressive Dinner on Feb. 10, 2017; https://goo.gl/jUbcmD
Regarding 312 E 4th Avenue, now known as Rose Hill: Rose Hill was the name of the original gothic revival frame house that sat on a single lot that orginally occupied the entire city block between 3rd and 4th Avenues and 3rd & 4th Streets. It was owned by Charles Henry Smith, a syndicated newspaper writer who wrote under the pseudonym Bill Arp. Union Forces occupied the home and there is a photo of Union Officers sitting at the dining table which had been moved into the front yard of the home. There is controversy as to whether General Sherman is actually amongst those pictures. The house was NOT burned or matrially damaged by the occupying Union Forces. The Smith family sold the home to the Hight family in about 1890. It either burned or more likley was torn down and the existing brick Greek revival home was built, partially on its foundation in 1909. Mr. Hight died during the construction and Mrs. Hight finished the project, which was designed to be similar to the Gordon-Lee house in Chickamauga where she had grown up. The house was sold to the Brock family in 1959 and to the present owners in 2011. The current owners renamed the house Rose Hill in honor of the original home on the site.