Fitzgerald Commercial Historic District

Fitzgerald's historic downtown is a compact commercial district of 82 contributing resources, most of them attached one- and two-story brick buildings, with a five-story landmark, the Garbutt-Donovan Building. The town was laid out in 1895 by promoter Philander H. Fitzgerald as a colony for Union veterans, using a grid divided into four wards by Central Avenue and Main Street. Downtown buildings show styles from Victorian commercial to Stripped Classical, Neoclassical Revival, Colonial Revival and Art Deco. Landmarks include the 1915 Carnegie Library, the 1918 post office, the 1909 courthouse and jail, and the 1936 Grand Theater. Many buildings use granitoid, a locally produced rusticated concrete block. Warehouses, a peanut company, a bottling plant and a Ford dealership reflect industry and the arrival of the automobile. Landscaped medians, granite curbing, brick pavers and a 1908 drinking fountain dedicated to "Mother Enterprise" add to the setting. The district was listed for its commercial history and its largely intact architecture from 1895 to 1942.