Fort Hill Historic District
Also known as: East Macon; Fort Hawkins Archeological Site
Why it's listed
Fort Hill Historic District covers the northern half of East Macon, a residential area that grew up across the Ocmulgee River from downtown Macon. Its 376 contributing resources, mostly modest wood-framed houses, date from about 1870 to 1941. They include many shotgun houses, saddlebags, Georgian cottages, Queen Anne cottages and bungalows, along with corner stores, churches and two schools. Larger, more stylish houses stand near Emery Highway, while the north side was home to the black community, served by the 1936 M. M. Burdell School and several churches. The 1920 Fort Hawkins School occupies the site of Fort Hawkins, a military outpost built in 1806, where a 1930s concrete blockhouse replica also stands. The district was recognized for architecture, community planning and development, and Black ethnic heritage. It preserves a dense street grid, informal landscaping and a rare surviving swept yard.
Significance in brief: The district is significant for its intact collection of urban Georgia house types, corner commercial buildings, schools and churches built from 1870 to 1941. It also represents the development of East Macon, with larger houses on the historically white south side and modest housing on the historically black north side. It includes the site of 1806 Fort Hawkins.
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 93000313, listed April 16, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Emery Hwy., Second St. Ext., Mitchell and Morrow Sts. and Schaeffer Pl., Macon |
|---|---|
| County | Bibb County |
| Listed | April 16, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000313 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | c.1870-1941 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Craftsman, Colonial Revival, Folk Victorian, and no style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Black, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most historic buildings remain in use as houses, stores, churches and a school; the 1920 Fort Hawkins School is vacant. |
| Acreage | 150 |
| Coordinates | 32.85484, -83.61230 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 93000313.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q141704496
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.