DuBose-Penna House
   408 South Alexander Avenue
HISTORIC WASHINGTON, GEORGIA 
Stunning Single-Level Victorian
4 Spacious Bedrooms ~ 4 Full Baths ~ 4,743 Square Feet ~ 1 Acre Lot ~ Guest Cottage

At last! A grand historic home all on ONE level! The Dubose-Penna House, a stunning single-level Victorian (c. 1884), offers all the square footage, architectural detail, rich history, and park-like grounds of its Antebellum neighbors…without all the stairs! At 4,743 SF with four bedroom/bathroom suites, the Dubose-Penna house has all the space needed for the daily living of a large family, hosting visiting friends and family, or even operation as a bed and breakfast walkable to Historic Washington’s Downtown.

Commissioned by General Robert Toombs for his grandson, Toombs Dubose, this elaborate home was built by noted architect William Winstead Thomas, known for Seney-Stoval Chapel and the Thomas-Carithers House in Athens, and helped usher in an era of Victorian architecture that expanded Washington’s downtown neighborhoods during a time of economic prosperity. With a roof tower featuring a large dormer window balanced by a forward-extending bank of thin vertical windows accentuating the ground-floor height (both with distinctive Mansard roofing), the home is an impressive example of the Imperial style, a particularly elegant architectural style recalling French architecture during the rule of Napoleon III highly favored by turn-of-the-century American elite.

Entering a traditional, wide center hall from the front porch, three over-sized bedrooms (all with luxuriously-appointed ensuite bathrooms and unique architectural design features) line the left side of the home while the right boasts a formal parlor with hand-painted fireplace and massive cased opening flowing into a formal dining room with center chandelier and surround half-height wainscotting. An enclosed side sleeping porch (also connected to the front porch) and sitting nook with china/linen storage are accessed through doors on either side of the room.

At the rear, this expansive home opens to an organically flowing living space that connects across an extended width of the home. Here you’ll find an inviting informal den with backyard access, the fourth bedroom/ensuite bathroom combination, and a bright, airy kitchen with island, eat-in dining area, and large pantry opening up to rear decks overlooking a full acre of shaded historic gardens. An idyllic 1/1 guest cottage with full kitchen and loft, built to mirror the Imperial style of the home, stands at the rear of the property. Originally built as a writing studio, the guest house now welcomes short-term rental guests.

From the Dubose-Penna home, Historic Washington’s story-book downtown square with restaurants and shops is a pleasant 10-minute stroll along shaded sidewalks lined with grand historic homes. Athens (University of Georgia) and Augusta (Ft. Gordon) are both an easy 1-hour commute while Atlanta is readily accessed via I-20 (2-hour).

Stunning Single-Level Victorian