A historic home in Social Circle could be yours for free. That's only if you are willing to relocate the entire house to a new location.

First Baptist Church of Social Circle owns the home at 221 North Cherokee Road and it's more than 150-years old.

The church wants to get rid of the home so that it can move forward with its plans to build a park, playground and prayer garden on the property. However, before tearing the home completely down, church officials wanted to first see if anyone was interested in the house.
First Baptist Church of Social Circle is offering $10,000 to pay for moving cost for anyone who's interested in taking the house.

Johnny Pickens, a volunteer with the church, said in addition, the Historic Preservation Society of Social Circle has offered an additional $10,000 for moving cost if the home is moved to a location in Social Circle. He explained some of the history behind the church obtaining the home.

"The church purchased the house in 2007 with the idea that we were going to demolish the house and build an additional facility, but because of the economy, that just didn't work out. So the house has been sitting there waiting for somebody to come along and want it," Pickens said.

"We have not really marketed it that entire time," he said. "It was our intention to demolish the house and during the slump in the economy, we did not have the need to be invested. Because once you tear the house down, you have to clear the property and make something that's acceptable to the city. We just didn't have the time or the dollars at that time to do anything with it," Pickens said.

"Within the last year, we have started a campaign to do something with the house. We would prefer that somebody take the house and move it off the property and us help them with it and for it to stay in Social Circle and make everybody happy. Sometimes those things work and sometimes they don't."

Pickens said the church has a demolition permit that is for six months but he said it will probably be extended if the church doesn't receive any feedback of individuals who may be interested in the house.

He said they plan to wait until November 2013 before making a decision on demolishing the house.

The one-story house, which was built in 1858, has wood-siding, a nice sized hardwood front porch and floors, three fireplaces, two bathrooms, a kitchen and dining area. Pickens said the house has 1,500 square feet of original space and is close to 2,000 square feet with some add-ons that have been done. He said the previous owner was Celeste Dupree, who was a longtime resident of Social Circle and remembered as a strong supporter of historic preservation in Social Circle - helping to reestablish old homes in the area.

Pickens, who lives about a block from the home, said the prayer garden that the church plans to replace the home with will be in memory of Dupree.

Anyone who is interested in seeing the home can call the First Baptist Church of Social Circle at (770) 464- 2628 and ask for Johnny Pickens.