Griffin Commercial Historic District

Griffin's historic downtown spreads across roughly eight blocks centered on Hill and Solomon Streets, in a grid first surveyed in 1840 to serve the railroad. Most buildings are attached, one- to four-story brick storefronts with corbeled or pressed-metal cornices, arched windows and cast-iron columns, reflecting Italianate, Neoclassical and Art Deco influences. Larger landmarks include the 1892 Opera House/Odd Fellows Hall, the Griffin Hotel, and the five-story Professional Building of 1929. Government buildings include a 1910 former post office and a Colonial Revival city hall and fire station. Three black churches from about 1900 and brick warehouses along the tracks complete the mix. Landscaped medians added in 1895 and hexagonal sidewalk pavers give the streets a distinctive look. The district was listed for its association with the founding and commercial growth of the city's business center and for its intact collection of buildings, with a period of significance from 1840 to 1938.