General Assessment of the Cox-Mathis House Cedar Creek Wildlife Management Area Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests

Introduction:

Explanation of project:

This documentation of the Cox-Mathis House was conducted during an internship, in partial fulfillment of a requirement of the Master of Historic Preservation program at the University of Georgia. The internship was completed under James Wettstaed, Heritage Program Director and Tribal Liaison for the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests. Stacy Lundgren, Forest Archaeologist for the Oconee National Forest, supervised the activities concerning the Cox-Mathis House. The site visits and documentation were conducted during July and August, 2011.

Organization of this report:

The report that follows will describe the Cox-Mathis House, starting with the surrounding environment, Putnam County, at the time of the house’s significance, which began in the early nineteenth century. A brief history of the series of owners of the house has been compiled and will be discussed. Measured drawings, photographs, and a detailed architectural description of the house are also provided. The area history, family timelines, and architectural evidence serve as the foundation for an estimate of the house’s date of construction. The house possesses remarkable integrity and should be considered in the future for the National Register of Historic Places. With this goal in mind, a statement of significance is included. Finally, this report includes a condition assessment of the house and recommendations for its future upkeep.

Methods and resources:

Measurements were taken using metal tapes and the measured drawings were made with AutoCAD software. A box of documents concerning the Cox-Mathis House located at the main office of the Oconee National Forest was consulted and organized during the course of this project. Investigations into the deed records were conducted at the Putnam County Courthouse in Eatonton, and historic maps and plats online and at the University of Georgia Map Library were used to piece together the early history of the house and try to determine a construction date.

Location Description:

The Cox-Mathis House (alternatively labeled Cedar Creek Check Station, 9PM829, and GA08I609) is located in Tract U-31 in the 369th district G.M. of Putnam County. It is situated on Checking Station Road (Forest Service Road 1040), 0.6 miles from State Highway 212 between the cities of Monticello and Standfordville. The address is 162 Checking Station Rd SW, Eatonton, GA 31024, and it has UTMs of 264820 East, 3679370 North. (Figures 1-3).