Monroe Street Apartments
Why it's listed
Monroe Street Apartments is a row of brick tenement dwellings at 641-661 Monroe Street in Macon, built in the mid-19th century. Each unit originally had three long rooms, each with its own fireplace, and the buildings were designed mainly as sleeping quarters. Thick masonry walls, 12½ inches in solid common or header bond, rise through the roof as fire-stop parapets. Jack arch lintels, corbelled cornices and chimneys, and rough-cut pine timbers survive, though the kitchens have been modified. The row was part of Macon's modest housing for workers, servants and bondsmen, located behind the homes of the upper class. Supporting letters credit John Hollingsworth with building it about 1860 and note that Black tenants lived there. Undocumented reports suggest use as a Confederate hospital. The row was listed for its architecture and as a record of everyday construction of the period, and it has been occupied as tenements for many years.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the row is a surviving example of Macon's 'common run' shelters that housed workers, servants and bondsmen behind upper-class homes. Its location, plan and masonry details record a time when pride in construction showed even in modest buildings. Undocumented reports say it served as a Confederate hospital late in the Civil War.
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 72000368, listed March 16, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 641-661 Monroe St., Macon |
|---|---|
| County | Bibb County |
| Listed | March 16, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000368 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1850's |
| Architect / builder | John Hollingsworth (builder, per a supporting letter citing courthouse records, c. 1860) |
| Architectural style | English basic character with Southern modifications such as unusually large windows and doors |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as tenements for many years; condition marked as altered, with kitchens modified with electrical equipment. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Macon Historic District |
| Coordinates | 32.83846, -83.64345 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 72000368.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134127231
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.