{"nrhp_refnum":"85002087","name":"Towns County Jail","other_names":["Old Towns County Jail"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Courthouse Square","address_restricted":false,"city":"Hiawassee","county":"Towns County","state":"GA","lat":34.946454352000046,"lon":-83.75728497299997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1985-09-13","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Politics/Government","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story rock county jail on Courthouse Square in the central business district of Hiawassee, Towns County, Georgia, built in 1935-36 with the Federal Emergency Relief Administration. A concrete block addition was added at the rear.","why_significant":"The jail is significant in architecture for its vernacular design, which uses indigenous rock to reflect its mountain county setting. In politics and government, it was the fourth jail for Towns County and shows the use of a federal relief program (F.E.R.A.) during the 1930s to create jobs and a needed community facility. It served as the county's only jail for 45 years.","narrative":"Built in 1935-36, this two-story rock jail sits on Courthouse Square in downtown Hiawassee, Georgia. It replaced an earlier jail unroofed by high winds in March 1935. County officials worked with the Federal Emergency Relief Administration and followed a design similar to the Union County jail, completing the building for $4,353. The structure has raised mortar rock walls, a hipped roof, a front porch with square rock columns and exposed rafter ends, and a central hall plan with the original jail works on the second floor. It was the fourth jail in Towns County and served as the county's only jail for 45 years, until a joint county jail replaced it in the early 1970s. It was renovated in 1980 for city use, and a concrete block addition now houses a fire truck. The building is recognized for its mountain vernacular design in local stone and as an example of federal work relief in the 1930s.","period_of_significance":null,"architect_builder":"Federal Emergency Relief Administration","architectural_style":"Vernacular with Craftsman details (square rock columns, exposed rafter ends)","criteria":[],"status_note":"Renovated in 1980 for use as Hiawassee City Hall; current use listed as City Hall/Fire Department. Condition described as good to fair.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:43.304208-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_GA/85002087.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/85002087/59495ef729-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/85002087/59495ef729-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"KudzuVine","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Old_Towns_County_Jail,_Hiawassee_(Towns_County,_Georgia).JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">KudzuVine</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Old_Towns_County_Jail,_Hiawassee_(Towns_County,_Georgia).JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/93206626","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Towns_County_Jail","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28153768"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/georgia/towns-county/towns-county-jail-85002087/"}