2005 Tour Homes

17 North Peachtree Street – The Rochester-Kent House
186 Thrasher Street – The Reynolds House
407 South Peachtree Street – The Bottoms House
213 South Peachtree Street – The Cofer House
378 North Peachtree Street – The Webster House

17 North Peachtree Street – The Rochester-Kent House

The Rochester-Kent house is arguably the best-known house in all of Historic Norcross because of its key location – it sits overlooking Thrasher Park at the intersection of North Peachtree Street and Park Drive. This picturesque  red brick English cottage is representative of a house type that was very popular in the 1930s and 1940s. English cottages can be found in all suburbs of larger cities and are most distinctive for their steeply pitched roofs and massive chimneys, many of which, like the ones in this house, are adorned with decorative chimneypots. At some point after this house was built, the gabled porch was added and the roof pitch altered.

Louette Johnson Rochester built this house in 1930, a few years after her husband died. Louette was a daughter of A.A. Johnson, who in 1885 founded Johnson’s Store – a Norcross landmark that served the town for 103 years until it closed in 1988 (currently the site of The Continental restaurant). Before Mrs. Rochester built her house, there were two houses already on this land; one she had moved to a lot on Park Drive and the other, a Victorian that sat on the lot directly behind this house, she had torn down to make room for a tennis court.

In the late 1940s, Mrs. Rochester sold the house to Winford Kent, a Norcross native who enjoyed a long career with Gulf Oil, commuting each day from Norcross to Atlanta until his retirement. He was a devoted member of Norcross’ First United Methodist Church for over 80 years and his family members owned Kent’s grocery, which is currently the site of Dominick’s restaurant. After his first wife died, Winford remarried and together with his second wife, Vera, lived in this house until his death in 1999 at the age of 96. After Vera’s death, her daughters sold the house to Cindy and Ed Flynn, who became the third owners.

As they remodeled, the Flynns found items in the house and garage that gave them some insight into the lives of those who had once made this house their home. In the attic, they found marbles and schoolbooks that had belonged to Louette Rochester’s son Hollis. In the garage, they discovered a set of library books dating back to the 1910s that had belonged to the Kent family. The black hutch on display in the Flynns beautifully updated kitchen was part of the original kitchen cabinetry that the Kents had removed to the garage during a 1960s kitchen remodel. Cindy and Ed rescued the piece, painted it, and returned it to its rightful place in the kitchen. When the Flynns tackled the dining room, they found electrical outlets for wall sconces that had been covered over long ago and decided to include wall sconces into their dining room’s décor. Even the builders of this house left behind an interesting artifact, for when the Flynns removed the tile from one of the bathroom walls, they uncovered old newspapers dating back to October 1929, one week prior to the infamous stock market crash.

As you tour this house, you will notice the meticulous care taken by the current owners, as they have managed to maintain the vintage character of the house while updating and remodeling the kitchen and bathrooms, as well as building out the attic. In the opening between the kitchen and “keeping room,” the Flynns replicated the archway found between the living room and dining room and those found at the top of the living room bookcases. They also created an outdoor courtyard between their living room and guest rooms so they could entertain and enjoy private space in an inviting setting. Original architectural elements such as the built-in bookcases in the living and keeping rooms, the original cover on the coal burning fireplace in the keeping room, the original hardwood floors, and the phone box in the back hallway have all been enhanced with the Flynn’s décor, as their family heirlooms have been carefully placed in certain rooms to evoke a vintage period. A real treat awaits you as you climb the stairs to what used to be the old attic. In this intriguing space, the Flynns created a magnificent and elegant master bedroom and bath complete with a claw foot tub that was rescued from an old Detroit hotel and a ceiling that soars to a height of 18 feet!

After many years, the Rochester-Kent house has been returned to its rightful place as one of Historic Norcross’most prominent homes. As you tour this house, you will truly enjoy all the beauty and charm that it has to offer.

186 Thrasher Street – The Reynolds House

The Reynolds House is one of the oldest and most admired houses in Norcross. With its double veranda gracing the front, it also has one of the most unique facades. A deed dating from 1872 shows that John J. Thrasher, the founder of Norcross, sold this property to Mary Helen Jones Bell. The original lot extended straight through to West Peachtree Street. In 1890, Bell sold the house to Mollie Jones. A deed recorded in 1903 indicates that Henry Johnson Reynolds became the third owner of this house. In those days, many folks kept their deeds locked away in safe deposit boxes and did not get around to recording them at the courthouse until years later. This seems to be the case with Mr. Reynolds, who, despite the date his deed was recorded, actually moved to Norcross and purchased this house in 1897. Mr. Reynolds, who was a railroad conductor from Toccoa, moved to Norcross because his run originated in Atlanta. His wife, Estelle B. Reynolds from Lula, Georgia, was one of the founders of the Norcross Woman’s Club and also one of the founders of Norcross Presbyterian Church. Henry and Estelle Reynolds raised five children in this house and had a garden, two chicken houses, and fruit trees on their large lot. Their son, Jack Jones Reynolds, was born, reared, and also died in this house. He and his wife, Lorena, also made this house their home and raised their two sons here. As a young man, Jack played the equivalent of Triple AAA baseball with Norcross friends such as Roy Carlyle (who would later play professional baseball). Over the span of 92 years, three generations of the Reynolds family made this house their home until they sold it in 1989. Jill Knicely, the current owner, bought the house in 2004 and is the sixth person to own it.

It is believed that construction of the house was started in 1871 and that it began as a side-hallway type house. When completed, it contained five rooms. As you face the house, these rooms are the two upper and two lower rooms to the left of the front doors; the fifth room is the current master bathroom, which was the original kitchen. It is also believed that the house was originally oriented toward the northeast, facing what is now Holcomb Bridge Road. Interestingly, the Gwinnett County Courthouse shows a date of 1914 as the year the house was built, but that date is indicative of an addition made to the house, as the original courthouse burned along with all of its records in 1871. The Reynolds family added three rooms to the house (the current living room, dining room, and kitchen) and also the double porches at different times during the early twentieth century to accommodate their growing family.

A few years ago, Jill Knicely decided to downsize and began looking for a townhouse in a small community. When she found this house for sale in Historic Norcross, she knew she had found the perfect town and the perfect house. Ms. Knicely had been raised in a historic home in Franklin, Massachusetts and she said that the Reynolds House felt like home to her. Since purchasing the house, Ms. Knicely has made several improvements such as lining all of the chimneys so that each of the five wood-burning fireplaces now works. She has also improved the gardens and has thoughtfully and elegantly decorated each room of this house, both to showcase her family’s heirlooms and to create an elegant, yet warm and inviting atmosphere.

As you tour this fabulous house, note the heart-of-pine floors throughout, the bead board accent in many of the rooms, the claw foot tub in the upstairs bathroom, the tongue-in-groove ceiling in the dining room, the low-slung stair balustrade, the original cabinets in the kitchen, the original well, the six-over-six windows, and the back porch — which used to be the old laundry room. You’ll also enjoy seeing Ms. Knicely’s family heirlooms that are perfect complements to the interior of this period house. Of particular interest are the Ben Franklin Stove that you will find in the den on the first floor, her great-great grandmother’s Hitchcock chair in the front bedroom, her family register that hangs near the front door on the first floor, and the bread paddleboard, which is displayed in the master bedroom.

A walk through The Reynolds House easily evokes the past with its period elements and the current owner’s eclectic mix of furnishings, antiques, and décor. Southern charm resonates throughout, offering a dose of southern hospitality to all who enter.

407 South Peachtree Street – The Bottoms House

The two acres on which this house sits are said to have been part of the Johnson Farm and were, at one time, part of Milton C. Lively’s land, which was subdivided in 1897. Lively, one of Norcross’ founders, moved to this area in 1868 from DeKalb County after news spread of the coming railroad. In 1936 John deJarnette bought land in Norcross on which he built this house, completing it in 1939.

The house’s architecture is known as the American Small House, which was a popular house type during the World War II era. The house was sold in 1945 to Mr. Ira Bottoms, who lived here until his death. Mr. Bottoms, a World War II veteran, was well known as a high school teacher in Norcross. After his death, this house was sold at auction to John Landstrom in 2001, who became the third owner. Landstrom, who owns the local Blue Moon Cycle BMW motorcycle dealership, chose Historic Norcross because of the town’s community feeling and its proximity to the big city. He also wanted to live in a place where he could walk to work and to the downtown shops and restaurants.

Since purchasing the house, John has made only minor changes to the interior. For example, the room to the left of the front room was originally split into two smaller rooms. By merging the two into one, John has given himself a large and comfortable living space. To further accent this room, he added a tin ceiling and bead board paneling on the walls. In addition, he transformed one of the bedrooms into his dining room, complete with the original coalburning fireplace. John also added the expansive rear deck. Although the American Small House type features few stylistic elements, John’s Arts and Crafts furnishings throughout the house and his minimalist décor allows one to appreciate the simple beauty of this house, evoking nostalgia for a bygone era. During your tour, take note of the French doors that link the gracious front room to the living room, the two fireplaces, the original farm sink and all original cabinetry in the kitchen, the two period-style bathrooms, and the wonderful rocking horse that sits atop the armoire in the master bedroom. John’s father built the rocking horse for John’s fourth birthday, and it is now displayed prominently as a wonderful piece of folk art.

When you finish your tour through the house, you will see John’s extensive antique motorcycle, car, and memorabilia collection, which is housed in two of the three garages he has built in his large backyard. The first garage features European motorcycles with a focus on BMW. The second garage houses American cars and motorcycles from the 1930s through the 1960s. All of John’s vehicles are in running condition, and he enjoys them regularly. The backyard also features the original barbeque pit with stone wall and fireplace. As you exit the property, don’t miss the intriguing fencing and front gate detail, in which you’ll find a motorcycle sculpted within the wrought iron gates. The ironwork was created in and imported from Lithuania. The fence is strong enough to keep John’s cow from escaping.

Each house on this tour adds its own signature to the unique Norcross landscape and this one is no exception. This charming South Peachtree house with its grounds and garages will delight and surprise visitors of all ages.

213 South Peachtree Street – The Cofer House

This late nineteenth century gabled-wing cottage was built in 1890, and sits on land that was at one time owned by Milton C. Lively, a founding father of Norcross. The gabled-wing house type was most popular in Georgia between 1875 and 1915. Although the house changed hands a few times in the first half of the twentieth century, it is known to locals as The Cofer House and is named for the Henry Howell Cofer family, who purchased it in 1943. At the time of the purchase, the lot on which the house sits extended all the way to Buford Highway and included a barn that housed the Cofer’s family cow, which they milked each day.

Cofer had owned an 80-acre farm on Rockbridge Road, but lost the farm in the 1920s when the drought and boll weevil infestation brought economic devastation to many across the South. In 1929, Mr. Cofer moved his family into the city of Norcross, where he worked on a relative’s farm. Mr. Cofer was a Mason for over fifty years, and served for a time as a Gwinnett County deputy sheriff. Longtime residents remember him as the kindly owner/operator of the town’s only “filling station” who, during the Great Depression, offered free services and gas to those who could not afford to pay. Cofer was also known throughout Gwinnett County as a “pretty decent” checker player, once earning the title of County Champion. His service station was always a favorite place in town to have a checkers game. Mr. Cofer operated the service station for thirty-two years and lived in this house until his death. Together, he and his wife, Mardell, raised five children. Their twin sons, Royce and Troyce, like several local boys of their era and before, followed the Norcross tradition of playing professional baseball. In 1988, three years after her mother’s death and 45 years after her parents had purchased the house, Helen Cofer McClain sold it and moved with her husband out of Norcross to Bent Tree in north Georgia.

Linda Leece purchased this house in 1996, moving from Peachtree Corners into Historic Norcross because she was looking for a neighborhood with small town appeal and a sense of community. When she found the house, it was in serious need of repair. Some of her friends wondered if she had made a mistake in purchasing the house and even asked her if she could get her money back. But from the start, Ms. Leece could look beyond the huge renovation task ahead of her and focused on her vision to return the house to its original charm. Over the past nine years, she has, among other tasks, reopened closed-off hallways, uncovered the kitchen and dining room fireplaces, removed eight layers of kitchen flooring to uncover the beautiful heart-of-pine floor, and removed the screening from the large front porch. When a 200-year old tree fell on her garage, she took the opportunity to rebuild the structure and incorporate a guest room so lovely and inviting that those who come to stay don’t want to leave.

As you tour this home and guest quarters, you will find the careful and thoughtful touch of the owner complementing the original architectural characteristics of this house. Enjoy the primitive décor that is found throughout, highlighted by Ms. Leece’s collection of baskets and quilts, including the spectacular Indiana State prizewinning Cornfield Quilt that graces her living room wall. Also of special interest are the exposed fireplace and chimney in the kitchen, the claw foot shower in the master bath, the heart-of-pine floors throughout the house, five fireplaces, fourteen-foot ceilings, and original doors. Thanks to Ms. Leece’s vision, her labor of love has restored this lovely cottage to its original beauty for Norcross residents and visitors to enjoy.

378 North Peachtree Street – The Webster House

Once Norcross was established as a town along the Richmond-Danville Railroad in 1870, it almost immediately gained a reputation as a resort area for Atlantans who wanted to escape the busy city. This Queen Anne cottage was built for that very purpose – a weekend or holiday getaway for the Webster family of Atlanta. It was not until the early 1970s that Edward and Mary Webster moved from Ansley Park to make Norcross their primary residence. Edward died shortly after moving here and Mary continued to live in the house until her death in the early 1990s. Mary was a founding member of Christ Church Episcopal and she willed her entire estate to the church, which subsequently sold the house to parishioners Susie and David Duke in October 1991. The Dukes are only the second family to own this house.

As you drive on North Peachtree Street, it is hard not to notice the multiple gables and dormers peeking out from this house’s intriguing roofline. The interior of this cottage is also very interesting because of its many architectural elements. Among its highlights are its five fireplaces, three chimneys, heart-of-pine floors, and twelve-foot ceilings. The front door through which you enter is original, as is the door that exits from the master bedroom to the side of the porch. The den has the original tile surrounding the fireplace and built-in bookcases with window seats. All of the original mantels are still in place as are the two-over-two windows on the first floor. The staircase in the back of the house was originally an exterior staircase that led to an upstairs sleeping porch, which the Websters would have used during sultry summer nights. During one of their renovation projects, the Dukes discovered that this sleeping porch had been added to the house in 1910, as that information was written on the framing. After enclosing the staircase and the surrounding area, the Dukes transformed the sleeping porch into bedrooms for two of their children.

The Dukes love older homes and neighborhoods, and when they had the opportunity to purchase this gem in Historic Norcross they jumped at it, even though they knew it needed significant updating and repair. Since purchasing the house, they have devoted much of their time to restoring, repairing, and rebuilding certain aspects of it. For example, when they moved in, the back porch was practically falling off. The Dukes rescued and enclosed it, creating a warm sunroom in which their growing family could gather. The first big surprise they faced was discovering that there were five roofs on the house, with the original being cedar shake – hence no decking beneath. Addressing this proved to be quite a large project. In the kitchen, the Dukes removed several layers of linoleum to get down to the original heart-of-pine floors, and they also had to replace the front porch floor. In the upstairs, they removed the crumbling plaster from the walls and rebuilt them in order to repair water damage. They also rebuilt two of the three chimneys from the roof up and uncovered the fireplaces in the bedrooms and dining room on the first floor. Susie and David Duke have done all of this while raising their three young children.

The Dukes have a deep respect for the history of this house, as is evident by the lengths to which they have gone to restore rather than renovate certain aspects of it. As further testimony to their love of the house, they proudly display in their front hallway a very early photograph of it taken shortly after it was built. The Websters would be happy to know that their home is starting its second century of life in excellent hands and is being showcased as one of Norcross’ landmark historic homes.