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Home of the Month July 2008
125 Buford Placeby Jim Weldon
The historic home of the month for July is 125 Buford Place, originally 107 Buford Place. It is the home of Christy Cramer McKemie and her two children, Kyndall & John Robert.
This house is a replica of the Jerry Cowles Cottage. The Cowles Cottage is the design of Master Builder Elam Alexander who was commissioned by Macon Businessman Jerry Cowles in 1829. This cottage design became one of America's most admired cottages and has been recreated many times in Macon and elsewhere in America. The original Jerry Cowles Cottage is now located at 4569 Rivoli Drive. It is not known who the builder for the home at 125 Buford was.
The history of this house actually begins across the street at the old Rankin home which is one of the most outstanding Victorian structures on Buford Place. About 1885, the Rankin House was built on a twenty acre estate facing Forsyth Road (now Vineville Avenue) by John L. Hardeman.
In 1890 the house was acquired by Buford McDonald Davis, a prominent attorney. In June 1906, Mr. Buford M. Davis died leaving Rosa B. Davis & William M. Davis as Executor Administrator, GDN, or Trustee.
In 1911, the house was moved to its present location (134 Buford Place) when the property was converted into a residential area by running a street, Buford Place, through the middle of its 20 acres. During this period of time, Neil Reid, a well known Macon and Atlanta architect, replaced the Victorian staircase.
In 1912, Mr. Buford's daughter, Rosalind Birdsey (Mrs. John Sanford) bought the house from her father's estate. Presumably in 1912 the houses at 107 and 109 Buford Place were built for Mary C.R. Davis and her brother William M. Davis. The city directory of 1912 listed Mary C.R. Davis as head of the house at #4 and William M. Davis was listed as a resident at the same place. #4 became 107 Buford. Note that J. B. McKendrick was listed in 1914 at #12 and was listed in 1916 at #115. In the city directory of 1915, Mr. William M. Davis had the house at 107 Buford Place. Mr. William M. Davis died at the Lanier Hotel on Sunday, March 16, 1924.In the city directory of 1924, Mary C. R. Davis was still listed as the resident of 107 Buford Place. From 1927 to 1941 the house changed ownership five times with Mrs. Hazelhurst McCaw being the owner of the house in 1941. At that time the house had additions and alterations by Llama Ellis League, F.A.I.A. Mrs. McCaw remained in the house until 1948 when, it is noteworthy to mention, George G. Felton acquired the house. Mr. Felton is the grandson of Judge William H. Felton who was married to Mary Ellen Johnson, daughter of William Butler Johnson, builder of the Hay House. Mr. Felton and his wife Ann Corn Felton lived in the house until 1971 and then they moved to his grandfather's home at 2417 Clayton Street. From 1972 to the present, there have been at least four families residing in the home.
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, Nov 22 2008, 8:24 PM EST
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