An elegant but unassuming Greek Revival home on West Wesley Road is perhaps the oldest house in Buckhead. Actually, it was built in Resaca, located near Calhoun in Northwest Georgia. In the 1950s, Atlanta contractor Joseph Walker and his wife drove by and fell instantly in love with the abandoned, antebellum home. When they passed by several months later and saw workers preparing for demolition, they bought the house on the spot, arranging for it to be moved piece by piece to a wooded lot at the corner of West Wesley and Margaret Mitchell Drive.
Building methods such as mortise-and-tenon construction and hand-planed boards date the home to the 1830s. Records show it served as headquarters for Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston and became a hospital during the Battle of Resaca in 1864. Though the house was spared by General Sherman, its front columns were scarred by minié balls, and rafters were marred by cannon fire.
The centuries-old Greek Revival home has survived in excellent condition. Many original features, such as heart-pine floors, dentil-style crown mouldings, and even the front portico, with its fluted columns and gingerbread balustrade, remain intact. Paneling in the den has been stripped to its original wood. In fact, the current owner hired restoration expert architect Norman Askins to preside over a detailed renovation and expansion, which added a master suite, brick terrace with iron railing, and detached two-car garage.
The almost 4,000-square-foot, 4BR/3.5BA home, located at 1450 West Wesley Road, is currently for sale at a list price of $1 million. For information, check out the home’s website or contact Ben Hirsh, Hirsh Real Estate Specialists, ben@buckhead.com, 404-797-4912.
