Dawson County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Dawson County's courthouse occupies a small square at the center of Dawsonville, Georgia. Built in 1858 of brick, it was contracted at 50 feet long and 36 feet wide, with the same form, height and materials as the courthouse in Gainesville, and was to be finished within twelve months. The design is very plain, with a gabled roof, a cross plan, nine-over-nine windows and a transomed double doorway. Four interior chimneys remain. A 1958 addition closed off one arm of the cross plan. Inside, the halls are crowded and acoustical tile has been added to the courtroom, so the exterior and the site carry the building's architectural importance. In 1977 the red brick was being painted cream. The courthouse resembles other Carpenter Style courthouses in north Georgia, especially the old White County courthouse, and is one of roughly six Georgia courthouses surviving from the 1850s. The county commissioner described it as the county's most famous landmark.
Significance in brief: The courthouse resembles other Carpenter Style courthouses in north Georgia, especially the old White County courthouse. It sits on a tiny square in the center of Dawsonville. It is one of only about half a dozen Georgia courthouses remaining from the 1850s.
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 80001010, listed September 18, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Courthouse Sq., Dawsonville |
|---|---|
| County | Dawson County |
| Listed | September 18, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001010 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Wesley McGuire, Henderson; contractors Wilson and John Hackenhull |
| Architectural style | Carpenter Style |
| Areas of significance | Economics, Law, Politics/Government, Architecture, Communications |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as fair with space limited; needs some work, and the red brick was being painted cream in 1977. Owned by the county. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.42140, -84.11891 (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 80001010.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14686614
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.