Militia Headquarters Building
Also known as: American Office Equipment Company
Why it's listed
Built in 1857 by Bostick and Kein, this three-story brick building at 552-564 Mulberry Street in downtown Macon was designed with shops at street level and a hotel on the two upper floors. Its Italianesque Victorian front is marked by a full-width cast iron balcony on scroll brackets, molded cast iron window lintels, and a bracketed metal cornice. Inside, a graceful stair with turned mahogany balusters rises to the third floor, and some original pine chimney pieces survive. The ground floor has been heavily altered and lowered, but the upper floors remain largely intact. During the Civil War the building served as headquarters of the Army of Georgia Reserves from April 1864, commanded by Major General Howell Cobb, and from July 22, 1864 of all Georgia militia. After Lee's surrender, Union Major General Wilson used it as his headquarters in Macon. Its facade also helps define the character of Mulberry Street's historic 500 block.
Significance in brief: The building's Italianesque Victorian facade contributes greatly to the distinctive character of Mulberry Street. It also served as headquarters of the Army of Georgia Reserves from April 1864, then of all Georgia militia from July 22, 1864, and was used by Union Major General Wilson after Lee's surrender in 1865.
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 72000367, listed April 11, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 552-564 Mulberry St., Macon |
|---|---|
| County | Bibb County |
| Listed | April 11, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000367 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Bostick and Kein |
| Architectural style | Italianesque Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition but altered; at the time of nomination the whole building was occupied by a single tenant, an office equipment company, with the third floor neglected and used for storage. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Macon Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.83727, -83.62750 (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 72000367.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16895127
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.