The sturdy home was cut into six pieces before its move in spring 2025 (Civil War Picket photo)
RaceTrac will
try again next month to win approval of a 24/7 gas station and convenience
store on a Civil War site in Georgia that formerly featured the historic Robert and Eliza
McAfee home.
Amid
opposition from neighborhood residents, the company last November withdrew its rezoning bid. But the Cobb County Board of Commissioners voted to
allow RaceTrac to reapply, which online records indicate it has.
RaceTrac has
its work cut out. The Cobb
County Planning Commission in October recommended rezoning the property,
but added conditions that would not allow gasoline sales.
The planning
commission is scheduled to hear the case again April 7. The Board of
Commissioners has the final say; it will hear zoning cases April 21.
The Civil War Picket reached out to an attorney for RaceTrac and the
property owner for comment but has not yet heard back. Questions include
whether the company has had new discussions with neighbors or agreed to some changes.
The home --
which briefly served as the headquarters for a Union general and was in the
middle of cavalry movements and clashes in summer 1864 – last spring was moved to adjoining Cherokee County
after a long effort to save it from destruction. It stood at the corner of
Bells Ferry Road and Ernest Barrett Parkway.
The planning
commission vote – following spirited discussion -- backed a change to the
requested Neighborhood Retail Commercial (NRC) zoning. But it would prohibit
fuel sales, drive-throughs and alcohol, tobacco and vape sales at
the site.
The McAfee house
dated to the 1840s, and the sprawling farm was a fixture in the Noonday Creek
area. The property owner wants to sell the remaining two acres to
RaceTrac.
RaceTrac argued a 24/7 store at the busy corner is
appropriate and compatible with commercial development nearby and would have almost no impact on schools.
Opponents raised a list of
concerns, from traffic congestion and storm water runoff to the possible impact
of alcohol sales and gas vapors on a nearby elementary school and day care
center.
The planning
commission’s stipulations came despite an endorsement of the project by county
planning staff and a traffic study that found the station acceptable if
measures were taken to mitigate congestion.
John Pederson, the county’s zoning division manager,
previously said if the county commission followed the planning commission’s
lead, small retail, offices or a restaurant would be permitted. He said
Thursday there appeared to be no changes in the RaceTrac proposal.
The McAfee House served
a few weeks in June and early July 1864 as the headquarters for Brig.
Gen. Kenner Garrard and his three brigades during the Atlanta Campaign. After
the seizure of Big Shanty (Kennesaw) by Federal forces on June 9, Garrard’s
cavalry division was posted on the left flank during operations on the Kennesaw
Mountain front.
The Federal
troopers clashed almost daily near Noonday Creek with Confederates led by Maj.
Gen. Joseph Wheeler.
The Robert and Eliza McAfee House before its move to Cherokee County (Cobb Landmarks)
The McAfee
farm was believed to have been occupied by Confederates, too, during the action
around Kennesaw Mountain. The house is said
to have been used as a field hospital.
The
nonprofit Cobb Landmarks, the Bells Ferry Civic Association
and the county’s historic preservation staff all recommend an archaeological
survey of the site if the rezoning is ultimately approved.
Cobb Landmarks had worked to find someone to move the home, including
when a car wash was proposed. The house lacked historic protection.
Although
observers were pleased the McAfee House was not destroyed, many decried Cobb
County's loss of history with its move to an adjoining county
The couple moved the sturdy residence to near their home in
Ball Ground and have been working since on its foundation. The couple say they
expect the house to either rented as a residence or an Airbnb-style
arrangement.
(At left, Picket photo of home as it appeared in February during foundation and other work in Ball Ground, Ga.)
The Robert and Eliza McAfee House before its move to Cherokee County (Cobb Landmarks)
RaceTrac on Tuesday
withdrew its controversial bid to build a gas station and convenience store on
a Civil War site near Atlanta, but the move doesn’t mean the company cannot bring the matter
up again.
About 25
opponents of the rezoning in a busy Cobb County neighborhood attended the Board
of Commissioners hearing. Without comment on the merits of the case, the board
approved 5-0 a motion to allow the matter to be withdrawn without prejudice, which
means the company could reapply at a later time.
The move
appears to be another setback for RaceTrac, given the Cobb
County Planning Commission voted last month to recommend rezoning the
former Robert
and Eliza McAfee property but added conditions that would not allow
gasoline sales.
The Cobb
County Board of Commissioners has the final say. Should RaceTrac regroup and
decide to pursue the rezoning, the earliest the board could hear the matter is
February 2026.
Commercial development in area; day care above house site, elementary school to its right
The Civil War
Picket reached out to an attorney for RaceTrac and the property owner for
comment on Tuesday’s action but has not yet heard back.
The home -- which briefly
served as the headquarters for a Union general and was in the middle of cavalry
movements and clashes in summer 1864 – this
spring was moved to adjoining Cherokee County after a long effort
to save it from destruction. It stood at the corner of Bells Ferry Road and
Ernest Barrett Parkway.
The planning commission
vote – following spirited discussion -- backed a change to the requested
Neighborhood Retail Commercial (NRC) zoning. But it would prohibit fuel sales,
drive-throughs and alcohol, tobacco and vape sales at
the site.
The McAfee
House dated to the 1840s, and the sprawling farm was a fixture in the Noonday
Creek area. The property owner wants to sell the remaining two acres to
RaceTrac.
The sturdy home was cut into six pieces before its move this spring (Civil War Picket photo)
RaceTrac argued a 24/7 store at the busy corner was
appropriate and compatible with commercial development nearby. Opponents raised a list of concerns, from
traffic congestion and storm water runoff to the possible impact of alcohol
sales and gas vapors on a nearby elementary school and day care center.
The planning
commission’s stipulations came despite an endorsement of the project by county
planning staff and a traffic study that found the large gas station acceptable
if measures were taken to mitigate congestion.
John Pederson, the county’s zoning division manager, previously said if the county commission followed the planning commission’s lead, small retail, offices or a restaurant would be permitted. He had no new comment Tuesday.
Although
observers were pleased the McAfee House was not destroyed, many decried Cobb
County's loss of history with its move to an adjoining county.
The nonprofit Cobb
Landmarks, the Bells Ferry Civic Association and the county’s historic
preservation staff all recommend an archaeological survey of the site if the
rezoning is ultimately approved.
Cobb Landmarks had worked to find someone to move the home, including when a car wash was proposed. The property owner wants to sell the two acres for commercial development. The house lacked historic protection.
The McAfee House served a few weeks in
June and early July 1864 as the headquarters for Brig. Gen. Kenner Garrard and
his three brigades during the Atlanta Campaign. (At left, a map showing troop positions in June-July 1864; note McAfee House / Library of Congress)
After the seizure of Big Shanty (Kennesaw) by Federal forces on June
9, Garrard’s cavalry division was posted on the left flank during operations on
the Kennesaw Mountain front.
The Federal troopers
clashed almost daily near Noonday Creek with Confederates led by Maj. Gen.
Joseph Wheeler.
The McAfee farm was
believed to have been occupied by Confederates, too, during the action around
Kennesaw Mountain. The house is said to
have been used as a field hospital.
Cobb
Landmarks earlier this year sold the house
for $1 to entrepreneurs Lee and Brittani
Lusk, with the main requirement it be moved
and restored. The couple moved the sturdy residence to near their home in Ball
Ground and have been working on it. It’s future use has not been confirmed.
The McAfee house was built around 1840, when Cobb County was mostly farms (Cobb Landmarks)
For $1 – yes, ONE DOLLAR -- you can buy an Atlanta-area house that
served as a headquarters for a real-life Civil War cavalry general and live like it’s 1864.
But there’s a kicker (yes, there’s always a kicker):
-- You have to move it before May 15 to a place with suitable zoning.
-- Moving historic buildings is complicated and expensive. Have you consulted with an
expert? How are you going to prepare it for the move, and will you clean up the
site once the dwelling is gone?
-- What are your plans for use of this two-story 1840s home? Will you agree to
renovate the interior in accordance with federal standards for historic properties?
-- And last, but not least, do you have enough money to move it and pay
for restoration?
Reality check.
These questions posed by a nonprofit trying to save and preserve the Robert and Eliza
McAfee House in Cobb County certainly are geared toward “serious buyers only.”
But the sale by Cobb Landmarks is being cheered as a winning strategy
after a five-year campaign to protect the house – which has no historical
protection -- from a crush of development in the suburb.
The
McAfee home served a few weeks in June and early July 1864 as the headquarters
for Brig. Gen. Kenner Garrard (left) and his three brigades during the
Atlanta Campaign. The Federal troopers clashed almost daily near Noonday Creek
with Confederates led by Maj. Gen. Joseph Wheeler. The house is said also to
have been used as a field hospital.
“Because
of the prominent location of the house, it has become a well-known and beloved
landmark to many. It would be an absolute shame to lose it and for the
materials to be reduced to rubble in a landfill,” says executive director
Trevor Beemon.
Interested buyers have until Jan. 17 to submit an application. The winner will be notified by Jan. 31.
A deal to turn the two acres at Bells Ferry Road and Barrett Parkway
into a car wash (even if the house stayed) fell apart in 2023 and
preservationists have used the time to come up with something else with the
property owner. The early goal was to keep the house where it is but relocation became an option.
“We have been negotiating with them about five years. They
finally agreed to donate the house to us so that we could arrange for it to be
removed. We are offering it for $1 because we know it will be costly to
relocate and renovate,” said Beemon.
The land will go to a developer who is expected to build a
multi-tenant development, he said. “Yes, it's a different buyer. He has a childhood
connection to the house and is supportive of our efforts to save the house.”
The broker representing the property seller declined to
answer the Picket’s questions.
Are there really soldier bloodstains upstairs?
Metro Atlanta residents and visitors alike
decry the dearth of physical remnants of the Civil War, but there are a few pockets
of preserved land in the region, most notably Kennesaw Mountain National
Battlefield Park in Cobb County.
Click to enlarge map of several Civil War clashes in Cobb County (ABPP)
Cobb County was the scene of significant
combat action and troop movement as the Confederates tried to stall Sherman’s
relentless campaign on Atlanta, which began in May 1864 in North Georgia.
After the seizure of Big Shanty (Kennesaw) by Federal
forces on June 9, Garrard’s cavalry division was posted on the left flank
during operations on the Kennesaw Mountain front.
While there were some small towns, including
Marietta and Big Shanty, most citizens lived on farms.
“The house was originally situated on hundreds of acres of agricultural land,” said
Beemon. “Over the years, the property has been sold off and reduced to just
under two acres where the house now sits. There is a barn and well on the
property. Both are currently being relocated through a separate agreement.”
The property's barn also is being relocated (Cobb Landmarks)
Today, the McAfee home is bordered by a
shopping center, drug store, school and other commercial buildings. It is a few miles north of Marietta and in the Town Center area. Kennesaw is to the west across Interstates 475 and 75.
The house is built of pine timbers joined with wooden pegs. It has
original heart pine floors (currently under carpet) and plank walls and
ceilings beneath modern additions. The residence features a central hallway. It
has not been occupied for many years, said Beemon.
Cobb Landmarks maintains the site was reportedly used as a field hospital following a skirmish near
McAfee’s Crossroads on June 11, 1864. Bloodstains are reported to be visible
on the floorboards in an upstairs bedroom, although carpet conceals the spot
today.
“We are careful to say ‘purportedly when
referencing the bloodstains and use as a field hospital,” said Beemon.
The farm was believed to have been occupied by
Confederates, too, during the Atlanta Campaign action around Kennesaw Mountain.
This state marker does not provide protection (Photo by Michael Cruce / HMdb.org)
Property has no local historic designation
Beemon said there is no requirement the house remain in Cobb County,
though keeping it there would be viewed favorably by the review committee.
“We
have received a number of inquiries with most expressing interest in the home
remaining in Cobb. One inquiry, in particular, is especially interesting;
however, we are unable to share any details.”
The organization would like to see the property returned
to its original intended use, but would be happy to see it used as a public
space or business as well.
Cobb Landmarks is requiring the house to be protected by a preservation easement to ensure the
exterior will retain its historic integrity and that the structure will be
protected from demolition. (At right, timber framing for floor)
Preservationists
have worked for years to protect the house, including through meetings with
local government officials and developers. The McAfee home has no designated historic
protection and is not on the National Register of Historic Places.
“Because
the house is located in unincorporated Cobb, it would have to be landmarked by
the Cobb County Historic Preservation Commission, preferably with the blessing
of the property owner. That never happened. There is a (1954) state historic
marker in front of the house marking the significance of the site, but it
affords no protection,” said Beemon.
Mandy Elliott, a Cobb County historic preservation
planner, said the owners of the house never contacted the commission to request such a designation and did not respond when the county reached out. Therefore,
the matter was never considered by the Cobb County Historic Preservation
Commission, Elliott said.
Basic requirements for a local historic designation include
nomination of the property to be placed on the Cobb County Register of Historic
Places, research on the site’s historic and architectural significance, a
report detailing justification of a designation and public hearings leading to
a final vote by the county commission.
No one has lived in the home for more than a decade (Photos, Cobb Landmarks)
“Local historic designation provides protection by requiring
review and approval of exterior changes by the Historic Preservation Commission,”
Elliott wrote in an email. “This would be projects that permanently alter the
historic character of the property, including additions, new siding, new
windows, porches, etc." The planner added it protects properties from removal and demolition.
A county commissioner told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2023 resolving the McAfee home situation was complicated. “We all want to save historic
structures. The hard part is finding an entity,” said JoAnn Birrell.
Mission accomplished, but a piece of history will move
Carol Brown, co-founder of Canton Road Neighbors, a
nonprofit that keeps a close eye on zoning issues, told The AJC in 2023 she hoped
the house would stay on site, perhaps becoming a museum. The home is the last remaining pre-Civil War structure in the
busy Town Center corridor.
“Think
of all the school kids who could visit the house,” she told the newspaper.
Brown also cites its proximity to the Noonday Creek Trailhead.
She
told the Picket recently there was a friends group formed for the McAfee House
but there was no meaningful support from the public or local government. An
engineer said bringing the house up to code would have cost about $250,000,
Brown said.
“Given the
desire of the landowner to sell the land, and realizing that it would be better
to remove the house for preservation, I congratulate Trevor Beemon for finally
completing the transaction,” Brown said. “The house will be preserved and in
private hands.”
She suggests
Cobb County could dedicate a corner to mark the location of the house, perhaps
with a monument, such as a cannon and new historic marker.
“Not seeing
the house on the corner of Bells Ferry and Barrett where it has been since the
mid-1800s will be a shock to the public. Seeing the land clear cut and graded
and developed for commercial use will be an additional shock,” Brown said.
