Newnan Commercial Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Georgia County Courthouses TR
Why it's listed
Newnan's downtown is a commercial district of about 25 acres built around a central courthouse square in the west-central Georgia town laid out in 1828. Its plan follows the "Washington-type" grid, with a square at the center and principal streets entering at the corners. Most buildings are one- and two-story attached brick structures from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many with corbeled cornices, pressed metal, terra cotta and cast iron. Landmarks include the 1904 Classical Revival courthouse designed by J. W. Golucke, the 1903 Carnegie Library, said to be the first built in Georgia, and the 1939 Municipal Building by R. Kennon Perry. Three historic churches, two early service stations, a cotton warehouse and a historically black commercial row on East Broad Street are also included. The area served as the main retail and service center for a corn, cotton and textile economy, and it keeps much of its historic character.
Significance in brief: The district is significant for architecture, commerce, and community planning and development. It preserves the intact core of the 1828 "Washington-type" town plan, a representative range of small-town commercial buildings, and landmark civic and religious buildings. It served as the principal retail and service center for Coweta County.
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 90000432, listed March 20, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Lee, Perry, Salbide, Lagrange, W. Spring, Brown, Madison, and Jefferson, Newnan |
|---|---|
| County | Coweta County |
| Listed | March 20, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000432 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1828-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Architects J. W. Golucke (Coweta County Courthouse), R. Kennon Perry (Municipal Building), Butt and Morris (Carnegie Library), Rev. Charles M. Lipham (First United Methodist Church); builder R. D. Cole Company (Coweta County Courthouse) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian (Italianate, Gothic Revival), Commercial Style, Classical Revival, Late Gothic Revival, Spanish Revival, Craftsman, Art Deco |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Commercial, government and religious functions continue today. The former Carnegie Library is now used for county offices, and the 1868 Virginia Hotel is used for commercial offices. |
| Acreage | 25 |
| Within district | Northwest Newnan Residential Historic District |
| Coordinates | 33.37448, -84.79990 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 90000432.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q49531404
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.