This home is the oldest remaining house on Peachtree Street. Designed by Atlanta architect Emil Charles Seitz Sr., the Queen Anne style house was built for Rufus M. Rose who operated a distillery, R.M. Rose Co., and several shops selling his liquor, fine cigars and cigarette products. The business was forced to move to Tennessee in 1907 when Georgia became a "dry" state. For more than 50 years (1945-1998), the house was the home of the Atlanta Museum, which displayed the eclectic collection of James H. Elliott, Sr., including furniture belonging to Margaret Mitchell and a Japanese Zero war plane. It was the headquarters of the Atlanta Preservation Center from 1999 through 2001. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is designated as an Atlanta Landmark Building.  

In 2013 the APC had an art exhibition called "A Rose on Peachtree" to help draw attention to the house. The roof currently has damage, that will be repaired soon. The house was sold to Gholam Bakhtiari in August 2011.  This past year Mr. Bakhtiari's daughter, Liliana Bakhtiari, began managing the property.

 

05/04/2015 Update:

Good News for Rufus Rose

Listed in 2011, 2007

Address: 537 Peachtree Street NE Atlanta, GA  30308-2228
Area of City: Midtown
Time: 1901
Architect/Designer: Emil Charles Seitz, Sr.