Faxon-Thomas Mansion, Chattanooga

The Faxon-Thomas Mansion, an exquisite example of Georgian Revival architecture, stands atop a knoll overlooking the Tennessee River in Chattanooga. Originally built between 1906 and 1908, this stately residence is located in one of the city's oldest residential areas, adjacent to the historic Walnut Street Bridge and the Bluff Furnace Site. During the Civil War, the site was known as Signal Hill, adding historical depth to its location.

Designed by the Cincinnati architectural firm Mead and Garfield, the mansion integrates both Georgian and Federal style elements, creating a refined classical aesthetic. The symmetrical two-story brick structure is flanked by one-story wings, with an additional one-story circular bay on the east side. A flat roof with a setback-hipped section is punctuated by distinctive oval-hooded dormers.

The Bluff View Street facade features a grand two-story portico with fluted Corinthian columns, an elaborate cornice, and a balustrade. Its symmetrical design includes decorative windows, balconies, and a pilastered entrance with double doors and a large window above. The river-facing rear mirrors this elegance with a two-story portico, marble-tiled porch, and eight Corinthian columns. The central entrance has double doors with a large window, flanked by French doors and sash windows. Side elevations include exterior chimneys and brick wings with Ionic columns and balustrades.

Despite modifications for its conversion into an art gallery and museum in 1951, the mansion retains much of its classical detailing. The first floor is especially ornate, featuring a grand double staircase, fluted Roman Doric columns, intricate moldings, and classical motifs. The foyer’s pilasters display medallions with human faces and fruit, while the ceiling moldings incorporate triglyphs, metopes, and guttae. Rooms are richly decorated with marble and wood mantels, wainscoting, and hand-carved woodwork.

The only major exterior change came in the mid-1960s with a second-story addition to the western wing. Otherwise, the mansion retains its architectural integrity as a historic and cultural landmark in Chattanooga. Today, the Faxon-Thomas Mansion remains a testament to early 20th-century classical revival architecture, combining elegance, history, and artistic significance.