156 Boulevard

Built in the Queen Anne style of the era, and exhibiting unusual but pleasant symmetry for its style, the house at 156 Boulevard adds charm to Athens' architecture, carrying its timeless character to the modern day. There were original plans to create a central spiral staircase ascending to an upper floor, but this was not included in the house’s construction. This house was an early addition to Boulevard's development, not appearing in the 1904 city directory despite construction beginning in 1895 and concluding in 1902. 

156 Boulevard was tastefully built by Charles M. Stern, born in Madebach, Germany, in 1835. When he moved to Athens, GA, Stern found a career in dry goods and clothing, founding Stern & Co. Clothier in 1878. Stern was a pillar of the community, a member of the Children of Israel Synagogue, a father to five, and a member of the Athens Board of Education beginning in 1886. Constructing other buildings within the community, Stern built a six-room cottage in April of 1899 on the corner of Jackson and Dougherty St. Stern died on November 17, 1910, within his house at the corner of Hadcock and College Ave. Until 1955 at the earliest, 156 Boulevard, like much of Boulevard in this era, was primarily house to working-class and middle-class families and individuals, with residents working as firemen, grocers, and school teachers.

The house has undergone significant renovations while still respecting its historic character and retaining elements such as original light fixtures that were converted from gas to electric in the 1920s. Notably, during the period from 1997 to 2025 when Jeffery and Sheryl Weinberg owned 156 Boulevard, the kitchen was updated with cabinets built with wood salvaged from an old tobacco factory in Cumming, Georgia. Black granite countertops were also added, which were sourced from Africa. In this same period, the master bathroom was completely redone by Angus Moller, with the trim around the shower being salvaged from the house’s attic. The house’s back porch was built in 2012 by McGuinness Leathers. 

Other notable residents include Larry R. McDougald, a professor of poultry science at UGA for 34 years, from 1992-1997, and Charles Augustus Banks IV, an investment adviser sentenced to federal prison for four years in 2018 for defrauding NBA Hall of Famer Tim Duncan to the tune of $7.5 million, from 1989 to 1992. Throughout its long history, 156 Boulevard has been adapted and renovated to fit the needs of its many distinct owners while also retaining its brilliant historic identity, demonstrating excellence in preservation.