Kennesaw holds dedication ceremony at historic Lewis House

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Members of the Historic Preservation Commission pictured with Mayor Derek Easterling and Zoning Administrator and Staff Liaison for HPC Darryl SimmonsMembers of the Historic Preservation Commission pictured with Mayor Derek Easterling and Zoning Administrator and Staff Liaison for HPC Darryl Simmons (photo courtesy of the City of Kennesaw)

Posted By: Larry Felton Johnson May 27, 2021

The City of Kennesaw issued the following news release highlighting the dedication ceremony at historic Lewis House, which was recently restored:

Kennesaw, GA (May 26, 2021) — The City of Kennesaw and the Historic Preservation Commission dedicated a historic plaque for the Lewis House during a ceremony hosted on Wednesday, May 26, 2021.

The tract of land where the Park at Main development sits was part of an acreage bought by former Union soldier James Stanley in the late 1880s. He built the house, now known as Lewis House, around 1890, and his daughter sold the property to James “Glen” Lewis (1874-1950) in 1901. Lewis became one of Kennesaw’s most prominent early citizens as a businessman and mayor for three non-consecutive terms. Among other enterprises, Lewis built the first three-story building in Cobb County on Main Street with locally made bricks. He ran a sawmill and cotton gin, he established the city’s first power plant, and he founded Kennesaw’s first bank. J.G. Lewis married local girl Simmie Eidson in 1902, and they raised five daughters and lived in the home for the rest of their lives. The last family member to occupy the house was daughter Cora Inez Lewis who passed away in 2000.

The Historic Lewis House is the centerpiece of the Park at Main Luxury Apartments development, a project by True North Companies. The restoration of the Lewis House was a five-year project, done alongside the construction of the new apartment units. The architectural elements and character of the historic Lewis House were used as a template for the new structures in the development.

The City of Kennesaw collaborated with the Historic Preservation Commission and True North Companies to install the historic plaque in an effort to tell the story of the historic home and property.