Citizens Banking Company
Why it's listed
Built between 1911 and 1912 on North Main Street in Baxley, this two-story bank and office building has a reinforced-concrete frame, ochre Flemish-bond brick walls, a bracketed cornice and cast-concrete door surrounds. A clipped corner entrance leads to the banking room, and a tablet there reads "Citizens Banking Company 1911." Upstairs, thirteen offices surround a skylit atrium with terrazzo floors. The bank was chartered in 1906 and became a state depository in 1911, which let it accept state funds. It failed in 1916 after over-borrowing and heavy spending on its building, and the property was sold at auction in 1917. Later banks occupied it until 1977. Offices upstairs housed attorneys, doctors, a dentist, the telephone exchange and a newspaper. Its significance rests on its Neoclassical design, its early use of reinforced concrete in a small Georgia town, and its place in local commerce. Remodeling in 1940 and 1966 altered the ground floor, while the upper floor keeps most original materials.
Significance in brief: It is argued to be a fine example of an early 20th-century Neoclassical bank building with two classical entranceways. It is also an early use of poured reinforced concrete construction in a small Georgia town. In commerce, it reflects the growth and troubles of a small-town, pre-Depression banking institution.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 85000932, listed May 2, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 112-116 N. Main St., Baxley |
|---|---|
| County | Appling County |
| Listed | May 2, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000932 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific date 1912) |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The building fell vacant in May 1977 when the last bank moved out; the form's classification lists it as occupied, in commercial use, and in good condition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.77735, -82.34858 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 85000932.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q38251957
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.