{"nrhp_refnum":"02001214","name":"Warrenton Gymnasium-Auditorium","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"304 S. Gibson St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Warrenton","county":"Warren County","state":"GA","lat":33.40395005800008,"lon":-82.66138228799997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2002-10-22","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture","Politics/Government","Social History"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A brick Neoclassical gymnasium-auditorium at 304 South Gibson Street in Warrenton, Warren County, Georgia, built in 1937 to designs by Merry & Parsons and constructed by Claussen-Lawrence Construction Company.","why_significant":"It is argued to be a good example of a Neoclassical community building from the New Deal era, notable for its Greek Temple-like entrance and self-supporting arched tile ceiling. It reflects federal support for education through a public works project. It also served for decades as the town's largest venue for school, sports, musical and civic events.","narrative":"Built in 1937 at 304 South Gibson Street, this brick gymnasium-auditorium served Warrenton as both a public school gym and the town's largest community meeting space. Funded as a Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works project at a cost of $18,000, it replaced an earlier gymnasium that burned. Architects Merry & Parsons gave it a Neoclassical design, with a projecting pedimented entrance, four Ionic pilasters and fanlight transoms over three sets of double doors. Inside, a basketball court is flanked by original slat-back wooden bleachers and covered by a self-supporting curved tile ceiling, which the nomination calls a major engineering feat. A raised stage and basement dressing areas remain. From 1938 to 1981 it hosted sports, graduations, proms, concerts, talent shows and big-band dances. The school board built a new facility in 1981, and ownership passed to the city. Plans and grant funding aim to return the building to use as a community center. It was recognized for architecture, politics and government, and social history.","period_of_significance":"1937-1952","architect_builder":"Merry & Parsons-Architects; Claussen-Lawrence Construction Company-Builder","architectural_style":"Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals/Classical Revival/Neoclassical Revival","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Left vacant after 1981 when the school system moved to a new facility and ownership passed to the City of Warrenton; the form lists current function as auditorium and says restoration as a community center is pending, with a Georgia Heritage Grant awarded in 2001.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:42.715778-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_GA/02001214.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/02001214/7301cce2cc-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/02001214/7301cce2cc-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 4.0","author":"Jud McCranie","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Auditorium_in_Warrenton,_GA,_US.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Jud McCranie</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 4.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Auditorium_in_Warrenton,_GA,_US.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/93209869","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q134466738"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/georgia/warren-county/warrenton-gymnasium-auditorium-02001214/"}