Washington Commercial Historic District

Downtown Washington, Georgia, centers on a public square surrounded by brick commercial buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Most are two- or three-story structures with uniform setbacks and shared party walls. Facades display cast-iron columns, original storefronts, segmental and round arched windows, corbeled brick cornices, pilasters and stepped parapets. Two large landmarks, the Fitzpatrick Hotel and the Wilkes County Courthouse, are individually recognized. Many buildings on the west side of the square date to 1895, rebuilt after a fire that destroyed the block. The district is significant for its architecture, its long role as the commercial center for Washington and nearby communities, and its grid street layout and central square, which follow a common county-seat pattern. Its buildings are also linked to local merchants, bankers and professionals who shaped the town between the 1800s and early 1900s. About 12 acres were drawn around the most intact historic commercial area.