Morton Building
Also known as: Morton Theater
Why it's listed
Rising four stories at the corner of Washington and Hull streets, known locally as "Hot Corner," this brick building in Athens, Georgia, combines storefronts below with a theater above. Monroe Bowers "Pink" Morton bought the lot in 1909 and built the structure in 1909-10. A 1914 newspaper called it the largest building of its kind owned exclusively by a Black man. Together with the now-destroyed Union Hall and Samaritan Building, it formed the core of the downtown Black business district. Doctors, dentists, pharmacists and many other businesses kept offices and shops here, and the Morton Theater served as the main entertainment venue for the city's Black community. The yellow-brick Washington Street front has a symmetrical Beaux-Arts-influenced design and a cut-away corner entrance with an exposed cast-iron column. Inside are a horseshoe balcony, stage boxes and a pressed-tin ceiling. It is the only intact theater of its period left in Athens.
Significance in brief: The building anchored the downtown black business district in Athens, housing professional offices, black-owned businesses and the Morton Theater, the city's major entertainment venue for its black population. It is also the only intact theater of its era surviving in Athens. Its corner location, four-story height and simplified Beaux-Arts front make it an architectural landmark.
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 79000709, listed October 22, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 199 W. Washington St., Athens |
|---|---|
| County | Clarke County |
| Listed | October 22, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000709 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | M.B. Morton |
| Architectural style | Simplified Beaux-Arts composition (front facade) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Black, Architecture, Performing Arts |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Structurally sound but in disrepair for many years; two Washington Street storefronts in use as a bookstore and restaurant, most Hull Street stores vacant, and the fourth-floor projection booth fire-damaged. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Downtown Athens Historic District (Additional Documentation, Boundary Increase II and Boundary Decrease) |
| Coordinates | 33.95862, -83.37860 (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 79000709.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6914953
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.