View & Vote on Sites

We have so few homes of this era left in the county.

OH MY GOODNESS! I certainly think this is worth preserving! It is so sad to see a glorious old lady like this going to ruin. All of the sites listed here should be preserved but this one in particular!

The house is a diamond in the rough! I would love to see it restored to display the beautiful character and charm of the home! I will have my eye on it if it ever goes up for sale!

This house had such dreams of grandeur. It has stood shy of 100 years. It should be revived and allowed to shine again.

What a great old house. I definitely think this house should be restored. The country has so few prime examples of this type home and when restored and outfitted with period pieces it would be a wonderful tourist attraction.

It would be criminal to continue to let this home detiorate.

It would be a shame to allow such a beautiful home to be destroyed by neglect.

This is worth saving.

I am familiar with the Lovelady mansion. It was a beautiful and stately mansion during the early 20th century, but has fallen on disrepair. I think it would be a great value to Ball Ground to renovate and save this lovely site.

This is a beautiful home, such elegance and beauty...it would be devastating to have it lost. Just breathtaking!

I have had my eyes on what i could see on this house from the road. It needs the renovation.

Classic architecture

I love the old home. How many homes in North Ga have the potential of this one? Would love to buy and restore it myself, but regardless of how it happens I would like to see it repaired.

It's beautiful.

It is worth while to keep some white columns homes, to remind us of our past. It was/can be a beautiful home.

I voted for this site because it is beautiful.

This house is so beautiful. I would hate to see it be torn down.

The home is beautiful, it would be amazing to see it restored.

All these sites should be saved and preserved because it is a shame that most people today don't appreciate the exquisite beauty and character of old structures. I only wish I had the money to buy them all and save them.

My second choice..what a grand and wonderful home. It would be a shame to let it go.

A stately and elegant old home - its restoration would be a great boon to Cherokee County, a reminder of great architecture in the Southern style.

The architecture of this house is exquisite! If it is not restored I would be inclned to purchase it and restore it myself!

I grew up going to the ceramic shop that was behind this house, run by the owners. In high school I told my friend who lived here that I would give anything for his house. He was so kind, and gave me a photo of it, with snow on the ground. It is a beautiful house. I cannot believe that the owner would not sell this to someone to restore it to it's original condition.

This is a neat house.

ALL need to be saved

I think this is one of several I would like to see restored but out of the ones I would pick this one needs the most work.

This is a beautiful house.

Our history should be preserved through homes like this.

This looks like it was a beautiful home. It would be a shame to lose this style of home.

This site is also in real danger and needs attention fast. Some of the others could wait a while longer

I have long admired this structure and think some group should restore it. I wish it had some kind of historic value so it could be of greater public interest. Greed doesn't count does it?

The beautiful architecture and history attached to this house, it could be a museum.

I would love to see this home renovated. She is beautiful and needs to have her full glory brought back.

It's a beautiful home and should be preserved.

I used to drive by this place everyday on the way to work - I could see it through the trees from the road - it is a beautiful piece of history

Great ole house!

Beautiful structure. Would make a wonderful place for special events.

This is a real chance for community to bring some of its history back to life.

Significant resididential property nearing the point of no return.

What a shame it would be to lose a structure like this!

Soon to be 100 years old; they aren't making many more like this.

Hurry!

It would be a shame to lose this lovely historic and architectural structure.

Re: Comment by Richard G at 01:57 PM on 09/01/2009:
Tear it down! What a rat-infested eyesore! Doesn't meet Cherokee's Future Land Use requirements anyway.

The Canton School being a Land marker in down town Canton should not be torned down.

Preserving history

Remarkable house that needs to be saved.

I was fortunate to have family members who had been in this home during its "heyday." Their descriptions of the ballroom on the top floor, the chandeliers,etc.were fascinating.I would give anything if somone would look into the complete history of this home;where the chandeliers came from, the mosaic tiles in the ballroom and the awesome home,bed and breakfast or special events facility it could be!!

place is too cool not to vote for!

This home could be beautifully restored. It would be a shame to tear down this grand home with its history.

I think this has a lot of history that should not be lost.

I've driven past many times. It is beautiful, and a historical past in Ball Ground - and has a "feel" to it.

Beautiful and unique architecture. This house should be preserved!

Every time you drive by this old house, you can't help but imagine how grand it would look if it was renovated.

This home was at one time beautiful. I was in over 20 years ago and yes at that time it was beginning to show signs of disrepair. I bet the current owners would definitely sell.

I would like to very much see this house renovated. We are losing to many older homes

I know this house. My family lives near Ball Grounds and it would be a shame not to restore this and preserve it as a historical treasure.

This is an absolute beautiful home and should be restored for future generations.

there are so few old historic homes in the metro Atlanta area. THis one is worth saving.

This one is too neat to let slip away. It adds such charater to the area.

I had no idea of the existence of this beautiful home. What a showcase it could be as well as a tourist attraction!

We must save our past so we can have a future.

This beautiful piece of history will indeed be "history" if repairs are not initiated soon. The old and beautiful homes are steadily being lost forever. Judson Roberts has lovingly repaired and maintained the old Roberts home. Janice Prather and Judy Thomas have done the same for the old Lyons Dairy farm house which was built in 1902. This is an opportunity to save a third home of historic value in the Ball Ground area.

Re: Comment by Anonymous at 04:15 PM on 09/09/2009:
I suspect this comment was added in an attempt to initiate controversy.

I am distantly related to the Lovelady Family although I have forgotten how. I am very much into genealogy so i will figure this conncetion out.

I remember visiting in the home on several occasions when I was young. The home and gardens should be preserved.

What a beautiful old home ~ it would be a shame to tear it down.

I love this house, everytime I drive by it I want to restore it and live in it.

Please preserve

This house is so unique to Cherokee, it would be awful to lose it due to neglect. The double porch is pretty awesome.

In the late 1950's my grandparents lived nearby. I often played in and around this beautiful old home as the residents had children near my age. The mansion was "Tara" to me. In my mind it is second only to the pink marble Tate Mansion.

I pass this house all the time, and think about how lovely it would be for the community to have it all fixed up and communicating its history.

period style of building

I Love history and hate the fact that once something that was once someones dream get forgotten about.This home does not need to be forgotten but remembered that even though it broke the bank hat it meant something.

Re: Comment by Anonymous at 01:34 PM on 09/12/2009:
I think the house is beautiful and should be restored. I've been in the Reeves house (last time it was for sale...the upstairs was hardly touched by time), but not the awesome Stripling house. I would love it if someone could tell me where it is located. Sites such as this one really deserve to be seen in person. I understand the "feel" of historic places.

I grew up seeing this house and the real beauty of what it once was.

We should make every effort to preserve our history.

The unique architexture makes it worth saving.

It would be a shame to see such an important piece of local culture and architecture destroyed.

This house could be like the Martha Berry Museum in Rome, Ga, with just as much wonderful history to teach.

The renovating of the Stripling-Lovelady House could be a great addition to Downtown Ball Ground. If it were opened to the public, people would come from all over the county and nearby counties to see it, and then could eat at the neat restaurants in Downtown Ball Ground.

I would love to be able to see this house in it's past grandeur. There are so many people who would love to be able to go inside and see it's magnificence.

It is such a shame this beautiful house is being kept from renovation and the public.

This is a beautiful house.

This is a fabulous piece of history.

It has the most potential over the other choices

As a photographer my eye fell in love with this site, but as a person who loves where she came from, my heart fell in love with this peice of history! This place is certainly worth saving!

The building is incredible. It is in really bad shape. It would be nice if the owner would spend the time and money on it to preserve it or sell it to someone that would restore it to its original glory.

It would be a shame to lose any of these sites, but I chose this one due to its remaining potential impact on Ball Ground, which needs more attention on restoration.

It's beautiful.

Please save this house!

This house can make history come alive for everyone.

There is not another house with as much beauty as this one.

Such a beautiful example of architecture. Would be a lovely wedding location. Like the Tate house!

We need to preserve this house.

This home was so lovely, what a shame to not preserve it.

When driving past this house, I've often wondered what its history was. If restored, this would be a lovely welcoming sight when entering downtown Ball Ground, and it would add some class to the whole area.

This home is worth saving- and it is just that - someone's home. Anyone who knows the family who lives there knows that there has been work done on the house over the years. It is not uninhabited nor is it "rat infested" as another comment stated. Had this family inherited the kind of money some other prominent families in Ball Ground did, maybe the home would have been "lovingly" been taken care of as another comment reported about property not on this list.

Re: Comment by Anonymous at 07:31 PM on 09/09/2009:
If bothered to contact the family who lives there, you would know the history of the house and its contents. There is no ballroom upstairs, by the way, and there is not enough tourism to support a large bed and breakfast.

Save this house.

The disposition of this property ultimately belongs to the owner. The property is inhabited and the inside of the home is still in good shape. If the photographer had asked permission to take photographs of private property they would have realized this.

Re: Comment by Anonymous at 08:52 PM on 09/15/2009:
This is a beautiful house but it is more importantly someone's home. The owner of this house has spent most of the last 20 years restoring this home. I had the opportunity to be inside this house before the renovations began and it is amazing how far it has come. As another commentor mentioned, the current owner did not inherit the money necessary for quick repairs. They have been trying to "save" the house from the inside out. It is inconceivabely rude that no one bothered to find out the true state of affairs and printed that the house is "neglected."

It looks in need of repair and I love the Greek revival architecture with the grand entrance.

Really nice old house. Would be a shame for it to completely fall in on itself.

This is a beautiful home that should be restored and maintained. Too many homes/sites across the entire country are going away because loving owners/families cannot afford to restore and/or keep them up. Whether its with time, talent, or money, the community and historical societies should step up to help in every way possible.

This is an amazing property that should not be lost.

Love old houses and this one needs to be preserved. Plus I live in Ball Ground and have always wondered about this house.

I live in Ball Ground and I would like to see the homes and buildings restored to what they once were.

Always loved house would be great bed and breakfast .

Re: Comment by Anonymous at 10:08 PM on 09/16/2009:
I am pleased to see the changes made in the description of this property by the Historic Society as of 9-16-09. Please help this family with renovations so that the original architecture can be saved. Otherwise, the only option that would allow them to remain in their home will be to tear down the porches. That would not be in the best interest of the community or the family. Everyone loves to look at the site from the highway - it is very visible in Fall and Winter. If there were more tourism this house, rich in the history of three families and the county/state, would be an asset as a museum or bed and breakfast.

This house has always facinated me. Ollie Nix of Ball Ground would tell me stories about the current family and the home. As a home health nurse, I had always hoped to have a patient at the home so I could see the inside.

This is a beautiful house with history. Would be a shame to see it altered or destroyed.

What a great house!

The early photos of this house with all three levels of porches intact are incredible

This is a wonderful structure and is deserving of restoration. A. J. Lovelady was a relative of mine several generations ago. Very historic area in Cherokee County.

This home is loved and cared for by its owners. They need help repairing it and maintaining it.

The owners of this home are wonderful people and have worked tirelessly on this house and I know would appreciate no one trespassing on this inhabited property. As a carpenter, would it be inappropriate to respond to Cheryl O's comment and hope that a tree falls on her house so I could see it?

As a relatively recent newcomer to the area, I am privileged to know a bit of this home and family, and I know the owner deserves help above what is being done currently. It's a beautiful home preserving a beautiful area and should always be respected as it has been for years. I've been told the chandeliers came from the Kimball House Hotel Presidential Suite in Atlanta, but I've never seen a ballroom, mosaic tile, or Confederate ghosts near.

I've always wondered what condition this house was, since it is hard to see from the road. Now that I see it I am shocked at its condition! As unique as this style is for Cherokee County, this is a house that MUST be saved!

Most worthy and unique structure.

This house would make a great historical museum.

This would make a beautiful bed & breakfast.

The citizens of Ball Ground would love to see the inside and outside of this house restored.

This is more beautiful than the houses in Marietta. Be a shame for it to fall down.

It would be great for this to be restored and open to the public to come and recount their personal stories about this house.

Interesting house, should be restored.

This property has definitely not been forgotten or neglected, but loved, and it would be an incredible travesty to see it succumb to developers that would put three to four homes an acre on the property that preserves the history and efforts of private owners that, in my opinion, the very purpose of the Historical Society is.

This house has been a dream house for me and my husband for years. We would love to buy it and restore it, but alas, we don't have the means either. It is such an exquisite example of the architecture of the time, and to have it local in Ball Ground is wonderful. When Ball Ground is one day restored, it will make a lovely centerpiece for this quaint little historical town.

Hard to believe something this beautiful hiding in Ball Ground.

I vote to save this house.

I'd hate to lose this one.

Wonderful house.

What a historic house.

Great house.

Such beautiful columns. This house should be saved.

This house needs much repair, and should be saved due to it's historic value to the community.

This would make a beautiful tour of homes at Christmas. And its history is very interesting.

What an awesome part of history. Save this house.

What a beautiful place!

Beautiful! I can't imgaine loosing the porch/columns that make this house what it is. With the history and architecture, can a historical society help renovate and open this to the public at times for touring and to help with the costs?

It is both usefull and beautiful

How could you let a site such as this pass away.

I would love to see someone purchase this house and remake it into the beautiful house it once was.

A great bit of history.

This house has character.

It is the most impressive structure listed and offers the greatest chance of reimbursign the county for the renovations by potential event rental revenue.

A gorgeous piece of architecture, which when restored, would be a real credit to the county. Looks perfect for an events facility.

This building is slowly being destroyed by simple neglect. Both Kennesaw State University and Georgia State University have preservation programs, and the students are an invaluable resource for preservation work.

What a grand home!

Just look at the place. What an amazing treasure for Cherokee county to have!

Restore them all!! Be proud of our history.

This looks like such a lovely piece of the architectural style that I hate to think of it being torn down.

I would love to see the current owners be able to rehab their house and continue living there

Wonderful architecture that needs to be preserved.

It has such potential.

This house needs some TLC.

I can just see how beautiful this house was in it's glory days, it would be awesome to restore, I can't think of anything more grand.

I always look for this house in the winter when the leaves are off the trees as I come into Ball Ground. What little I can see of it from the road is fascinating and I hope that it can be preserved and shared somehow with the public.

this is a beautiful home with tonz of character! would love to see this restored and open at holiday times or for historical tours!

Few homes of this archetectural style exist in the county. Beautiful addition to the county.

Truly a classic southern home with graceful style and ageless beauty.

I think this would be a wonderful
wedding/family reunion venue. It
could bring much needed revenue
and give local photographers,
caterers, wedding planners, musicians, DJ's, etc. as well as
Historical Associations like the DAR, UDAC, SAR etc. a wonderful place to hold special events and ceremonies.

while all the sites are worth saving, this one seems like it needs the "least" amount of money to continue its existence. I would love to vote for ALL!

I also think this would be a great historical, educational building for tours.

What a cool house. Looks like a mansion. I'd love to go inside.

Re: Comment by Anonymous at 03:52 PM on 10/09/2009:
No offense intended but obviously this commentor has never had owned or had work done on an old house if he/she truly believes that this site would cost the "least" to restore. Like so many have posted, I too would be thrilled to see the exterior of the house restored to its original condition. However, the cost alone to just to save and repair the porches and columns is much, much more than most can imagine. Contrary to popular belief, there are no grants available for restoration of privately owned, historic houses. I have faith the the family living there will come up with a realistic plan to preserve and restore this great house.

Such a beautiful site! It is a jewel of Ballground and it would be such a shame to see it deteriorate even further. It would make a wonderful museum, much like the Hey House in Macon...

I just love the look and history of this place!

Please, please help save this house! What a daunting task for the owners by themselves, and it would be so wonderful to be restored and shared with the public!!

Please help save this gorgeous house!

The design and craftmanship it would be ashame to rot down . Would make a great bed and breakfast . I live 5 miles away but would stay night just to see and spent 1 day in a house like that . Ball Ground has a great history

To privately restore the house would take a millionaire. If the house was turned over to a business, such as a bed & breakfast or museum, it could be restored and enjoyed by everyone, rather than fall down and be good to no one.

If restored, this would be a beautiful place to have weddings!

I vote for this site because it looks so beautiful and looks like it's going to fall down any minute.

beautiful old houses like this should be saved not bulldozed.

It's too beautiful to lose.

wonderful architecture

This is one of very few historic houses - another one being the former Etowah Bank offices across from the Rock Barn - that are near a town, large enough for a variety of uses, and are different from almost all of the other houses, both in terms of the style and the quality of the construction. Its also on a large enough piece of property to support gardens, parking, etc., without wrecking the ambiance of the facility itself. Its been falling into disrepair over the years, and as with several others on this list, runs a significant risk of not being here TO restore, within our lifetimes. Thanks for putting this home on the list.

I'd hate to see something as beautiful as this building not be saved.

It is sad to see something this beautiful in this bad of shape.

This house should be saved for history.

Re: Comment by Richard G at 01:57 PM on 09/01/2009:
This is beautiful. We need to save all of the historical sites.