Historic McAfee House sold for $1: Pre-Civil War Cobb County landmark to be relocated
The McAfee House, a pre-Civil War home in Cobb County, was listed for sale at one dollar, with the condition that the buyer must pay for its relocation.
Built in the 1840s, the house has historical significance, having served as a Union headquarters and a Confederate field hospital.
Lee and Brittani Lusk purchased the house with plans to move it to Ball Ground and potentially convert it into a primary residence or museum.
COBB COUNTY, Ga. - A pre-Civil War home in Cobb County was put up for sale earlier this year with an asking price of one dollar.
The only stipulation was, whoever bought the McAfee House must pay to have it moved.
SEE ALSO: Historic Cobb County home selling for just $1
The backstory
The McAfee House, located at the corner of Bells Ferry and Barrett Parkway in Cobb County, is a historic structure built in the 1840s. Over the years, it has served various roles, including as a Union headquarters for General Kenner Garrad and a Confederate field hospital, according to Trevor Beemon with Cobb Landmarks. Despite several remodels, most recently in the 1970s, much of the original structure remains intact.
What we know
Lee and Brittani Lusk have purchased The McAfee House with plans to preserve its historical significance. "I always had an affinity for old homes. I would drive by an old house with an old barn and say, I want to fix that up, I want to make that pretty again," said Lee Lusk. The couple intends to move the house to Ball Ground, where it may become either their primary residence or a museum. "We plan to move it to Ball Ground and either make it a primary residence or a museum, we're not sure yet," said Brittani.
What's next
The Lusks are preparing for the challenging task of relocating the historic home. "My first hope was that we could move it in one big chunk. Come to find out it's too tall and it's too wide. So we'll have to cut it in half and we'll have to cut the roof off and move it separately," explained Lee. Having experience in moving old homes, the Lusks estimate it will take about a month and a half to prepare the house for the move, followed by a year-long restoration process once it reaches Ball Ground.
Why you should care
The McAfee House is a significant piece of local history, and its preservation is important for maintaining the cultural heritage of Cobb County. "I grew up in Cobb County. We have driven by this house numerous times, I never in a million years dreamed that we would be part of its continued history," shared Brittani. The Lusks' efforts to restore and preserve the house ensure that future generations can appreciate its historical value.
What they're saying
The Lusks are enthusiastic about the project and committed to overcoming the challenges involved. "The Lusks say they're up for the challenge. They say it will be worth it to preserve a piece of history, The McAfee House," reported FOX 5. Their dedication highlights the importance of preserving historical landmarks and the personal fulfillment that comes with contributing to their legacy.
The Source
FOX 5's Denise Dillon spoke with Lee and Brittani Lusk. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reports were also used.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
37 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
EU Climate Chief Expects Pension Funds to Help Revamp Grids
The European Union's climate chief expects to attract the financial firepower of some of the bloc's biggest pension funds to help modernize power grids that are key to the green transition. As part of a new budget for 2028-2034, the bloc on Wednesday outlined a €410 billion ($475 billion) fund to help EU industries compete with overseas peers. Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra told Bloomberg he's confident that will entice Dutch and Danish pension funds to invest in the region's electrification. He also said the extra funding should help convince skeptical countries to back a proposal to cut emissions by 90% by 2040.
CNBC
2 hours ago
- CNBC
New York City braces for wealth flight with Mamdani's political rise
Zohran Mamdani's primary win in New York City's mayoral race and proposal to raise taxes on millionaires have touched off fears of a new wave of wealth flight from the city. Yet so far, there is little evidence of a slowdown in high-end real estate or real wealth losses in New York. Florida real estate brokers say they've seen a surge in inquiries from the New York wealthy looking to move to Miami or Palm Beach. Business owners are threatening to leave the city or close. And New York developers, caught in the crosshairs of Mamdani's rent control platform, have banded together to fund Mamdani's opponents in the November general election. At the center of the economic concern is Mamdani's so-called "millionaire tax." He's proposed an additional 2% tax on New Yorkers earning more than $1 million a year. Added to the city's current top rate of 3.876%, the tax would bring the combined New York City and state tax to 16.776%, by far the highest in the country. The combined federal, state and city rate would be 53.776%. And New York's high earners won't have to go to Florida to avoid the tax. They can simply move to neighboring Long Island or Westchester County or even New Jersey. Unlike New York state, New York City can't tax people who work in the city but have their primary residence elsewhere. "New York City can only tax its own residents," said Jared Walczak, vice president of state projects at the Tax Foundation. "A high earner doesn't need to give up the convenience of the city, they just need to move outside the five boroughs. Migration across city lines is the easiest." Importantly, Mamdani wouldn't be able to raise income taxes. The city's income tax rates are set by Albany, where Gov. Kathy Hochul has said she will block any tax hike. "I don't want to lose any more people to Palm Beach," Hochul told the New York Post. Critics also fear Mamdani's policies toward the police and public safety could make the city even more dangerous, becoming the final straw for many business owners and top earners who were already considering leaving. The top 1% of New Yorkers pay over 40% of the income taxes, so losing even a small number of high earners would set off a downward spiral of lower revenue and lower services and more out-migration. The Inside Wealth newsletter by Robert Frank is your weekly guide to high-net-worth investors and the industries that serve them. Subscribe here to get access today. New York state had a net loss of $14 billion in net adjusted income due to taxpayers leaving between 2021 and 2022, according to the Tax Foundation and IRS data. The city's revenue from personal income taxes declined between 2022 and 2024, from $16.7 billion in 2022 to $14 billion last year — although they're still above the pre-Covid levels of $13.4 billion in 2019, according to data from the New York City comptroller. At the same time, however, there are signs that New York's powerful wealth machine is constantly replenishing the ranks of millionaires and billionaires, more than making up for the rich who move out. The number of millionaires in New York City has more than doubled over the past decade — despite the Covid losses — to over 2.4 million, according to Altrata. There are now over 33,000 New Yorkers worth $30 million or more, nearly double that of Miami, according to Altrata. Whether it's measuring millionaires, multi-millionaires or billionaires, New York City has maintained its dominance as the richest wealth hub in the world. "New York remains a powerful magnet for the wealthy, offering a blend of luxury consumption, vibrant culture, high-quality education and lifestyle cachet, with the borough of Manhattan the epicenter of ultra-prime real estate," said a report from Altrata and REALM. Demand for pricey luxury apartments in New York also shows no signs of slowing, even after Mamdani's win in the June 24 primary. There were 64 contracts signed between June 23 and July 13 for apartments priced over $4 million, up 13% over last year, with a sales total of more more than $555 million in sales, according to Olshan Realty. Among the signed contracts was a $35 million, three-bedroom spread on Fifth Avenue that was first listed in December. "The luxury market is on pace for one of its best years," said Donna Olshan, of Olshan Realty, who also cautioned that any potential Mamdani-related weakness could show up in the Fall. Not only did New York's millionaire and billionaire population rebound quickly after Covid, but high earners also bounced back. While the city lost a net 5,000 households earning $1 million or more during the pandemic, their ranks have grown from 30,400 in 2019 to 34,127 in 2022, the latest period available, according to the Fiscal Policy Institute. Nathan Gusdorf, executive director of the Fiscal Policy Institute, said the narrative of wealth flight from New York is fed in part by the media, which highlights a small number of high-profile billionaires who move from New York to Florida. Stories about billionaires like Josh Harris, Carl Icahn and Daniel Och decamping to Florida ignores the broader ebb and flow of wealth in New York. New York's powerful economy, fueled by the financial services industry, continues to produce more new millionaires than it loses. "We do not have a fixed population of millionaires that just declines whenever one of them leaves," Gusdorf said. "The city regenerates that lost millionaire population." Even if Mamdani were to win the mayorship in November and raise taxes, the direct impact on wealth flight may be more limited than many expect. According to the Fiscal Policy Center's latest research, the top 1% of New Yorkers by income (those making more than $800,000 a year) leave the city at one quarter the rate of all other income groups. When the New York wealthy do move, they have most often oved to other high-tax states like New Jersey, Connecticut or California – suggesting lifestyle rather than taxes are the driver. "There is a strong indication that higher tax rates at the state level imposed on the top earners are not having real behavioral effects," Gusdorf said. Others, however, say taxes have outsized importance for the wealthy, proven by the sweeping population moves in recent years from high-tax to low- or no-tax states like Florida and Texas. A study by the California Center for Jobs and the Economy described a "taxodus," or net loss of $5.3 billion in personal income tax, from high earners who left after a 2016 extension of higher taxes on the wealthy. "High tax rates do lead to outmigration and lower income growth," Walczak said.
Engadget
4 hours ago
- Engadget
Samsung chairman cleared of fraud by South Korea's top court
South Korea's top court has upheld an appeals court ruling to dismiss all charges in a long-running fraud case against Samsung chairman Jay Y. Lee. The accounting fraud and stock manipulation charges stemmed from a merger of two Samsung subsidiaries in 2015. Prosecutors had accused Lee of manipulating share prices to help clear the way for the merger in an attempt to consolidate his power. In 2024, a court ruled that the prosecutors failed to prove their claims. The case has worked through the appeals process since then. In a statement to Reuters , Samsung's lawyers said the latest ruling confirmed that the merger had been completed legally and added they were "sincerely grateful" to the Supreme Court. Back in 2017, Lee was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of bribing public officials with regards to the merger. However, the Supreme Court overturned the decision and ordered a re-trial. As a result of that, Lee was handed a 30-month prison sentence and served 18 months before being paroled. Then-South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol (who was removed from office this year and recently rearrested over a failed martial law attempt in 2024) later pardoned Lee. While the Supreme Court's ruling had been widely expected, it clears "a layer of legal uncertainty" related to Samsung, one analyst said. It will allow Lee to focus more of his attention on Samsung, which earlier this month projected a 56 percent drop in operating profit for the April-June quarter compared with the same period in 2024. That is due, in large part, to sluggish sales of its AI chips.
