Mercer University Administration Building
Why it's listed
Rising four stories in brick, the Administration Building at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, is a Victorian Gothic landmark completed in 1872-1874. Chicago architect Gurdon P. Randall, a specialist in college and church design, drew the plans, and he revised them after the 1871 Chicago fire, adding fire-protection features such as solid brick interior walls, thicker exterior walls and sand beneath the fireplaces. No steel supports its large towers and steeples. A fire in 1910 damaged the tallest tower, and the rebuilt steeple came out about twelve and a half feet shorter than the original. Otherwise the building looks as it did when new. It faces Tatnall Square Park and has long symbolized the university, which moved to Macon in 1871 after the city gave money and land for a campus. The listing recognizes both its architecture and its place in the institution's history. Trustees planned a faithful exterior restoration.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a superb example of Victorian Gothic style and construction, built entirely of brick with no steel supporting its large towers and steeples. It has been a Macon landmark and the symbol of Mercer University since it was built. It also reflects Randall's work as a nationally known designer of colleges and churches, and the university's history as a leading Baptist 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 71000261, listed August 26, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Coleman Ave., Macon |
|---|---|
| County | Bibb County |
| Listed | August 26, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000261 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1872-1874 |
| Architect / builder | G.P. Randall (Gurdon P. Randall of Chicago) |
| Architectural style | Victorian Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and in educational use, in good condition and largely unaltered. Trustees planned an exterior restoration costing about $750,000, with the first two floors of the interior preserved and the upper floors modernized. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Macon Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.83178, -83.64816 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 71000261.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q124413788
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.