The Marietta Pilgrimage
A Christmas Home Tour through Marietta, Georgia

The Morris-Gantt-Stark House, c. 1896

343 Church Street

 

One of the early structures on the newly opened Church Street was 343 Church Street built for Judge Newton A. Morris in 1896. The cost of the home was $8,000.00. He later married Miss Cora Cheney and raised their four children and several grandchildren in the house. He occupied the house until his death in 1941. Judge Morris served as Representative in the Georgia Legislature and as Speaker of the House from 1902 to 1904. He was also a Superior Court Judge in the Blue Ridge Circuit.

 

The Victorian house was originally Queen Anne/Shingle style of architecture, but was later changed to a neocolonial façade. This resulted in the addition of windows, inside columns and more open spaces. Many changes to the house include the enclosure of the back porch, bathrooms added in the early '20's, and an addition of a summer sleeping porch and a bedroom in the 30's. The home features seven fireplaces and twelve-foot tall ceilings.

 

The second owner of the house was Catherine Clarke who lived in the house for 14 years. It was then sold to Robert Carmen who resided there until 1974. Linda Priebe Laney purchased the house and lived there until 1998 when Sherry Gantt bought the property. The current owner is Michael Stark.

 

Sponsored by: