Constructed in 1890, the G. W. Rives Home encompasses over 6,000 square feet with five bedrooms and three bathrooms. George William Rives was born in 1867 and died in 1935. He was married to Lily Moates Rives and is buried in the Sparta Cemetery. Members of his family were also owners of the well-known Harley-Hurt-Rives plantation nearby. In the early 1990s, the house was purchased by a doctor who planned to convert the property into a nursing home. However, the nursing home never materialized.
In recent years, the front porch has deteriorated and collapsed. Broken windows have exposed the house to the elements, allowing leaves to blow across the hardwood floors. In the past, the home sold at auction. That owner never did anything with the property. It has been for sale on and off for the last decade. At one point, the home was reduced to half of the asking price. Finally, the home was sold in October of 2019.
The term ‘haint’ is a variation on the word ‘haunt,’ also known as a restless spirit or a lost soul. The color haint blue originated from the belief that it would ward off evil spirits. African slaves first used haunt blue paint in the coastal areas of Georgia. According to Gullah culture, the blue tint is representative of water. Haint blue is not one specific color, but a range of hues that emulate colors of the sky or ocean.
Abandoned Southeast 
It looks wicked and haunted
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This would make for a cool class.
Thank you for your time: Sent on the fly. Robin
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Where is this home?
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Such a shame, it’s a lovely building.
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Stunning. A beautiful family home with lovely details
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I’d volunteer to go over and replace the broken windows, seriously.
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We are buying it 10/21/19 please come and help with the window if you so choose 731-234-4414
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Congrats on your purchase, Sophie. Thank you for saving this home.
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Sophie, random would you be open to renting the house for a film shoot? Just curious. Love the inside of the house. email here if interested. digitalthunderdome@icloud.com kids halloween movie.- Scott Hansen
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I would volunteer to replace the windows before this home is ruined, seriously! Who wants to help me?
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Do you know how this house got it’s name?
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I named it Haint House after the Haint Blue paint throughout the first floor.
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Thank you for a good read on the house I did not know the haint color information. It’s actually called the Rives House in Sparta GA
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Often times I change the name of the house while it is empty to protect it from vandals. Now that it is no longer abandoned, I will update the blog with the correct name. There are so many interesting old homes in that area.
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Is this house on Zillow? I would love to know the asking price.
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36k
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thank you so much if you werent so far away i would volunteer to do work there also
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This is my great , great , great-grand house !
my great grand father is William Rives married to Jewell Boone (Boone Rd).
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