The city of Kennesaw and the city’s Historic Preservation Commission dedicated a plaque for the historic Lewis House during a recent ceremony.
This tract of land was part of property bought by former Union soldier James Stanley in the late 1880s, according to a city statement.
Now 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 - completed 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 city’s Historic Preservation Commission and True North Companies to install the historic plaque to tell the story of the historic home and property.
Around 1890, Stanley built the house - now known as Lewis House.
Then in 1901, his daughter sold the property to James “Glen” Lewis (1874-1950).
Lewis became one of Kennesaw’s most prominent early citizens as a businessman and mayor for three nonconsecutive terms.
Among other enterprises, Lewis built the first three-story building in Cobb County on Main Street with locally made bricks.
Lewis ran a sawmill and cotton gin, established the city’s first power plant and founded Kennesaw’s first bank.
In 1902, Lewis married Simmie Eidson.
The Lewis couple reared 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.
Kennesaw has grown from a sparse railroad town into a multi-cultural suburb of metro Atlanta, with big-city amenities such as a museum, botanical garden, parks, shopping districts, restaurants, an international airport and a major university.
Information: kennesaw-ga.gov/lewis-house
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