Could be oldest building in N.F.
MILTON, Ga. - The Hopewell House is known by many names – a stagecoach inn, the McClesky-Day House - however no one can dispute one major fact – it's one of the oldest buildings in Fulton County. And now Milton owns it.
The red tin-roofed house sits on 2.5 acres of woodland at the intersection of Hopewell Road and Birmingham Road. Walking through the building, it is apparent that owners have added to it countless times in the past 200 years. Aging wooden slats can still be seen within the home alongside modern flooring and lights.
"It was a stagecoach inn that was built between 1805 and 1830," said Council member Bill Lusk. "It's possibly the oldest house in Fulton County."
The city bought the site for $250,000. The property was acquired through a foreclosure, meaning the city got a good deal on the historic site.
The house has seen many uses throughout its life, the most recent being a residential home. One historic use was as an inn for travelers on their way through Cherokee country.
"Moravian missionaries used to come through here and stay at the Hopewell House," explained Travis Allen, a member of the Milton Historic Preservation Commission. Indeed, Moravian stars can be seen painted in the home, including one situated on the ceiling above a chandelier in the main room.
There are currently no plans for the site. The city recently bought and renovated the Bethwell Community building at the corner of Hopewell and Cogburn. That building was once used as a gathering place for residents and has been improved to become a home for summer camps and private events.
"I like to think it may be used as a Milton Mansell House," Allen said. "I think it was great opportunity for the city to buy it and preserve it."
"It's a real historic treasure," Lusk said.
Labels: milton, Milton City, milton county
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Brian Vanderhoff @ 8:45 AM
