Mayo's Bar Lock and Dam
Also known as: 9f1sas2; 9f1sas3; 9f1sas4; 9f1sas5; 9f1sas6
Why it's listed
Mayo's Bar Lock and Dam is a river navigation structure on the Coosa River, roughly eight miles southwest of Rome, Georgia. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built it between 1911 and 1913, with work continuing to 1915. It was the northernmost point of a planned slack-water route toward the Gulf of Mexico. The poured-concrete lock measures 40 by 210 feet with a nine-foot lift, and the dam is a log-and-crosstie crib filled with locally quarried stone. It is the only intact survivor of six similar Coosa locks and dams and the oldest lock in Georgia. Steamboats used it from 1913 to 1941, first carrying farm products and later mostly passengers, though it came too late to save commercial river traffic. The surrounding county park also holds three prehistoric sites from the Early-Middle Archaic and Late Mississippian periods, plus a wharf site and an abandoned limestone quarry from construction. Together they make up the historic district.
Significance in brief: It is the only intact survivor of six Coosa River locks and dams built between 1872 and 1917 and the oldest lock in Georgia. It represents early 20th-century navigation engineering and the river trade that supported Rome and the Coosa Valley. The district also holds three prehistoric (Early-Middle Archaic and Late Mississippian) and two historic archaeological sites with potential to yield information.
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 89002020, listed November 16, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | On the Coosa River, 8 mi. SW of Rome, Rome |
|---|---|
| County | Floyd County |
| Listed | November 16, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89002020 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 8000-800 B.C.; 900-1540 A.D.; 1911-1915 A.D. |
| Architect / builder | US Army Corp of Engineers; Pennsylvania Bridge Company, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania (contractor) |
| Architectural style | no style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The lock has been inoperable since 1941. The property is now a county park and campground, and a section of the dam near the lock wall has washed away. Rehabilitation for recreational boating is being considered. |
| Acreage | 70 |
| Coordinates | 34.19992, -85.25572 (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 89002020.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q34886220
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.