Clinch County Jail
Also known as: Old Jail
Why it's listed
Built in 1893-94 on Court Square in Homerville, the Clinch County Jail is a two-story brick building measuring about 35 by 32 feet, with a hipped roof, segmental-arched windows on the first floor and Italianate-arched windows above. It replaced a wooden jail from 1872 that proved inadequate. Thomas Firth Lockwood of Columbus, Georgia, was the architect, and Manly Iron Jail Works of Dalton supplied the work, at a cost of $3,175. Brick walls, concrete floors and vaulted ironwork supporting the upper floors made it fireproof, which is the main basis of its architectural importance. The building served as the county jail until 1927. The Homerville Woman's Club then saved it from demolition and leased it, removing the cells. Since then it has served as a voting precinct, a U.S.O. center, the town library, a school board annex, and a venue for receptions and reunions.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant in architecture because it was built as a fireproof structure of brick, concrete and iron, designed by a Georgia architect and fitted by a Georgia jail works. It is significant in local history as the county jail from 1894 to 1927 and later a community center run by the Homerville Woman's Club.
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 80000994, listed January 11, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Court Sq., Homerville |
|---|---|
| County | Clinch County |
| Listed | January 11, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80000994 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Manly Jail Works/Thomas F. Lockwood |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a community center by the Homerville Woman's Club; the jail cells have been removed and the building was altered after 1927. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.03719, -82.74874 (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 80000994.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16890423
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.