1109 W Peachtree St NW
Atlanta, GA, USA

National Register of Historic Places - Dr. Marion L. Brittain, Sr. House and Apartments

Statement of Significant:

The Dr. Marion L. Brittain, Sr. House and Apartments is significant in architecture because it is a good example of a Neoclassical Revival Style house built toward the height of that turn-of-the-century movement. The house retains its original monumental temple front with four columns, balconies, windows, doors and other features important to this style. The upper porches/balconies and some changes come from its apartment conversion in 1922. The house is also significant in education because it was built for, and owned and occupied by, Dr. Marion Luther Brittain, Sr. (1866-1953), one of the state's renown educators. Dr. Brittain was state school superintendent from 1910 to 1922. During this time, he saw the consolidation of many county school systems and the building of more modern schools in most every county. At this same time, he served as president of several regional and national educational organizations. In 1922, he became the fourth president of Georgia Tech, from which he retired in 1944. It was during his tenure at Tech, while he and his family lived in the president's home, that the house was converted to apartments. During his tenure he rebuilt Georgia Tech from the dire financial situation brought on by World War I. After his retirement, he authored The Story of Georgia Tech. He is featured in the Dictionary of Georgia Biography and is the namesake of Emory University's most prestigious award. His family returned to live in this property, by then apartments, until 1963.