As you drive into The Hill one of the first houses you come to is the picturesque Hodgson Lumpkin House, commonly known as the A&D House. This house is believed to be one of the six original homes that Joshua Meigs described when he stayed with Daniel Easley in the summer of 1801. He had come to Easley’s mill community to be the first president of the University of Georgia that was to open in the
fall. We know that this house was across the road (Oconee Street) from Easley’s home, and was referenced in an early (1820) history of Athens as the “old” Hodgson-Lumpkin house. In 2001, the structure was moved to The Hill from the Oconee street lot owned by Armstrong-Dobbs Supply Co., to commemorate the bicentennial opening of the University and the founding of the city of Athens. This house, built in the plantation plain style – two over two with central hall and shed rooms, is typical of this area. The original kitchen was the right rear bedroom and had a large open cooking fireplace. The original front porch was a full length shed porch and did not have the double gallery. A full length screened in back porch was added for those perfect evenings on a rocking chair with a good book. The interior is completely furnished with period antiques and includes 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths, a living room, dining room, den, and kitchen. This Plantation Plain style home is the outgrowth of four distinct periods. The original two-story log house, what is now the dining room, was built in 1790. John Donald purchased the house around 1810 and made the first addition, the framed hall and parlor. The home was acquired by the Epting’s and moved from Donalds, SC to its present location on The Hill in 1979. A local cottage from Athens was also moved to The Hill and joined to the back of the original log house, now the kitchen, library, and master bedroom. The lower bedroom was constructed under the cottage in 1979, allowing walk out access to the backyard. The interior is completely furnished with period antiques giving the house 200 years of history from front door to back door. The surrounding grounds have beautiful gardens full of azaleas and hydrangeas, large open fields, as well as the most recent addition, the in ground pool, which was added in 1993. Before you get to the Donald-Epting House you will come to a quaint little two-story home that is made of solid stone, appropriately named the Rock House. In 1920 the grandson of a former slave, who was deeded the property after the civil war, built the house with locally harvested fieldstone. The perfect sized covered porch is the best place on The Hill to sit and listen to the rain hit the tin roof. It has 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths, a small living room and kitchen. Tucked away on the trees is the Quinn Cottage, or commonly known as the Yellow House. The single story Quinn Cottage was built in 1930 on its current location. It has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, living room, dining room, kitchen and large back porch that looks onto the “Soccer Field”. Make your & your guests' experiences truly one of a kind by renting one of The Hill Houses today!
