Category: Homes

There are many historical homes in Powder Springs.  Most of these homes are on the main street (Marietta Street) in downtown. Others are one street over (or back) on Atlanta Street.  Some are farmhouse homes that are located in the area immediately outside of the city limits. Several of the homes date back to the early/mid 1800’s. These mentioned here represent only a few of those homes. More information about these homes and the other Historical Homes of Powder Springs, can be found in the publications located at the museum.  “Images of America Powder Springs” and “Seven Springs Sampler”. Some of these houses are gone. Only time will tell how long the others last until they are gone, too.

Included in the “Sampler” are three homes on Powder Springs Road that are situated just outside of the Powder Springs postal delivery district. They were chosen for their historical significance. All three are on the National Historic Register. The Cheney-Newcomer House, the Kolb Farm House and the McAdoo House.

One display at the museum are paintings of some of the homes by local artist Gladys O’Neil Hendricks Hardy (1911-1999). Also, there are sketch drawings of the Cheney-Newcomer House, the Kolb Farm House and the McAdoo House by Susan Smith.

Additional information on the Historic Homes comes from histories, oral and written, by Sara Frances Miller, Roberta Murray and Virginia Tapp on file at the Museum.

LEAKE – LOVINGGOOD HOUSE
4494 Marietta Street

The Leake-Lovinggood House is an example of a two-story gable front and wing folk house.  It was built in 1913 by C.T. Leake, a local cotton buyer, and sits on the site of an earlier house built by James W. “Yankee” Smith, postmaster at Powder Springs in the 1890’s. The house has been in the midst of much of the town’s history since it’s been standing for over 100 years.

Mr. Smith’s house had a steep roof and was said to be so steep that it could split a raindrop.  The house stood vacant a long time and was said to be haunted.  All the children would run by the house as fast as they could since it was said to be haunted.

After Mr. Leake bought the property, he tore down the old house and built the present house. Not long after moving into the new house, they heard noises at night and the boys thought the home was haunted. It was soon discovered that the otherworldly sounds came from under the house where dogs were walking over lumber that had been stored there by Mr. Leake. He had saved the best pieces of timber from the old house to use in his new house. Some say that it is still haunted today in other ways. Mr. Leake kept milk in one of Powder Springs’ seven springs at the end of his yard, now across the street from the house. (Intersection of Marietta Street or Highway 278 and Brownsville Road).

Boyd Vaughn, the druggist, lived in the house after buying it from Mr. Leake in 1918. They apparently had other boarders/renters in the house. M. Lovinggood, father of Virgil, bought the house from Mr. Vaughn in 1927. Virgil Lovinggood had moved, with his wife and young daughter Pauline, here in 1918 from Cherokee County when he bought 60 acres of good farmland on the outskirts of Powder Springs in 1918. With his farming prospering, Mr. Lovinggood was presented with the opportunity to purchase a store in Powder Springs.  At first, he was reluctant, but then bought the store with the help of his father James Mattison Lovinggood and his brother Albert. This store was a grocery store, and carried much of the produce items of the area, cotton seed and other dry goods. Here Mr. Lovinggood was able to stock the store with produce and livestock that he raised on his farm. He operated his store for almost 50 years.

In 1927 J.M. Lovinggood, with the help of his two sons, Virgil and Albert, bought the house from Boyd Vaughn. All three families then moved into the house. Albert died in 1926 and their father in 1942. At the death of his father, Virgil took over the store business and owner of the house. Mr. Lovinggood lived here until his death in 1985.  Both his sons, Virgil (V.A). Jr. and Lowell were born in the house. V.A. in 1929 and Lowell in 1935. His son Lowell being the present owner. The house has seen many renters through the years and is currently inhabited by the Lovinggood family. Some of their descendants still call Powder Springs home. The house is generally referred to as the Lovinggood House because of the long history of the family living there and being a vital part of Powder Springs and its history for so many years. The other owners were also a vital part of the settling and forming of Powder Springs as a town and community in the early years. Some of their decedents still call Powder Springs home. The Lovinggood House has seen much activity and history through the years and continues to be a monument to an era of times gone by. Additional information can be found in a paper prepared by Laurie Puckett for her history class (710) at Kennesaw State College, summer 1995.

“In and around the Lovinggood House – A History of Powder Springs Since the 1880”. A copy of Laurie Puckett’s paper is housed at the Seven Springs Museum. Some of her family were boarders in the house and are also related to the Lovinggoods.

GLADSTON FARMS (McEachern Farms)
3940 Macland Road

Gladston Farms (or McEachern Farms) was the home of John Newton McEachern, Jr.  The 1,000 acre farm was homesteaded by his grandfather, David Newton McEachern in 1831. His father, John Newton McEachern, Sr. was born there in 1853, co-founded the Life of Georgia Insurance Company. In 1908 on 240 acres of land donated by John N. McEachern, the Seventh District A & M School was established. In 1933 Macland consolidated schools. John McEachern High School was then established and opened on the campus left vacant by the closing of the A & M School. The McEachern family still contributed generously toward the education of the young people. In 1934 the name of the school was changed to John N. McEachern Schools with grades one through eleven (twelve). The McEachern’s Established an endowment fund for the school which is an on going contribution to the school today.

In the 1940’s, McEachern restored the home to its original beauty and stocked it with hogs, sheep and a stable of Tennessee Walking horses and continued to operate it as a working farm. Mayes Ward Dobbins, Powder Springs Chapel now sits on the site. They had hoped to restore the house as part of the funeral home, but were unable to save it.

MORRIS – GARRARD HOUSE
4130 Hiram Lithia Springs Road

The Morris-Garrard House is a one story farmhouse with beautiful gingerbread trim on the front porch. It is one of two houses built by the Morris brothers who moved to Cobb County in the 1880’s. Each had forty acres. They built two houses and set aside two acres of land for a family cemetery. The other house was across the road from this one and was a two story plantation planes house. The Morris Cemetery is still a private cemetery and is located just down the road from the house. The cemetery is still open for family burials. The Vansant, Geiger, Butner and Florence families were some of the tenants of the house and farm. The property is usually only known as the Garrard House (Farm) and is still in the Garrard family.

MURRAY HOUSE
Atlanta Street

The Murray House on Atlanta Street was built as a duplex for Dr. Robert Root Murray’s daughters, Mina and Roberta. Dr. Murray came to Powder Springs from his home in Watkinsville to practice medicine about 1860. He also served as a lieutenant in the Confederate Army. He was one of the several doctors who practiced medicine in Powder Springs for many years. Roberta Murray, his daughter, is known as the towns first historian. Ms. Murray also opened her personal library to the young people of the town long before there was a library in Powder Springs. Roberta lived here until her death in 1974.

TAPP HOUSE
Marietta Street

The Lackey, Florence, Tapp House was built before 1877 by Dr. W.T. Lackey. It has been in the Tapp family since 1918 until about 2019. The house is referred to as the Tapp House because since the Tapps Have owned and lived there the longest, for over 70 years. Doctor Lackey sold it to W.Y. Stovall in January 1877. In January 1884, Mr. Stovall sold it to B. S. Florence who deeded it to Mrs. Lizzie Florence in September 1887. She willed the place to H. Emma Florence about 1907. Hannah Emma Florence Davis sold the house and lot in December 1918 to W.J. Tapp. Mr. Tapp also bought an adjoining lot from W.L. Florence. At W. J. Tapp ‘s death in 1923, the house and property then passed to his son W.R. Tapp, Sr. than to W.R. Tapp, Jr. The Tapp house was the childhood home of Virginia Tapp (1911-1992), a teacher and compiler of local history. She worked with Sarah Frances Miller to record the history of Powder Springs.  Miss Virginia also researched, recorded and published the History of the First Baptist Church of Powder Springs. Her brother, W. R. “Bill” Tapp (Jr)  was an architect who designed the new First Baptist Church’s building in 1964, which has been expanded on many times over the years. The small building at the back of the property was originally built for Mr. Tapp’s office and studio. One of the original Seven Springs is located at the back of house.