The Goetchius family is one of the oldest families of Columbus, Georgia. Richard Rose Goetchius came to Columbus from New York in 1834 and established himself as a builder and architect, married Mary A. Bennett on Sept. 11, 1839 and built her the beautiful home which originally stood at 11th St and 2nd Avenue. It was in this house that their children were born: Henry R. Goetchius (1852 -1925) who became a prominent Columbus lawyer, Dr. George Goetchius (1845-1900) a minister, Mary (1856-1882) who married Guy McKinley from Milledgeville, Charles Rose Goetchius (1848-1850), Charles Bennett Goetchius (1860-1915) as well as John (1841-1863) and Edward (1843-1864), both killed in the Civil War. H.R. Goetchius also served as president of the School Board at the turn of the century.

The house remained in the family until 1969. From R.R. Goetchius and Mary, the house passed to daughter Mary and Guy McKinley, who passed it on to their daughter Mary, who married Sam Marshall Wellborn. The Wellborns lived there until the mid-1920s when it was rented to the pediatrician Dr. Mercer Blanchard and later his son . When Mary Wellborn died in 1955, the house passed to her son Sam Marshall Wellborn Jr. and was later donated to the Historic Columbus Foundation. They gave it to J. Woodruff in 1969, who then moved it to lower Broadway and restored it. The Goetchius House then became one of the city's most elegant restaurants.