The Marietta Pilgrimage
A Christmas Home Tour through Marietta, Georgia

Ellwood, c. 1867

76 McDonald Street

 

This Greek-revival style house was built after the Civil War by John R. Winters, who purchased the lot in 1867. It was originally built as a one-story brick home. Winters, a veteran of the Mexican-American War, was the son of George Washington Winters a Cobb County pioneer, who settled here with his family in 1833. After the Civil War, Mr. Winters became an entrepreneur and amassed a great fortune. Later, noted Civil War correspondent and lawyer, Peter Wellington Alexander and his wife, Theresa, lived at Ellwood in the 1870's. She sold the property to Edgar & Emma Pomeroy in 1887. At the time the Pomeroys purchased the home, it had been enlarged to a two-story dwelling. Mary & Walter Heyward purchased the home in 1901 and added a two-story brick addition to the south side of the house.

 

In 1910, Arthur & Ella Potter moved into the house. She was so enchanted with the property that her husband named it Ellwood in her honor. In 1922, Evan "Dick" Dobbs purchased the home and lived there until his death in 1942. He was elected Mayor of Marietta three times and as State Senator, twice. Upon his death, the property passed to his daughter, Christine & her husband George Nichols. They owned it until their deaths in 1982. Lynn & Hans Rechsteiner bought Ellwood in 1992 and set about the task of extensively renovating the property, almost certainly saving it from demolition. Today, they enjoy the fruits of their labors with their children, Emmy & Kyle.

 

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