Atlanta and West Point Railroad Freight Depot
Why it's listed
Near the Georgia State Capitol in downtown Atlanta, this railroad freight depot combines a two-story Italianate brick office, built about 1871, with a brick warehouse added between 1886 and 1891 to replace an earlier frame warehouse. The office has red sandstone quoins, a projecting central pavilion with a rusticated arched entrance, and cast iron triangular pediments over its windows. The warehouse has elliptical-arched loading doors and a wide clear-span timber and steel-rod truss roof. The roof of the office was later raised, and a timber loft was added to the warehouse, probably in 1921 under a concrete business tenant. The depot is described as the oldest extant and intact railroad structure tied to historic downtown Atlanta, a city that grew from a railroad terminus and was rebuilt after its destruction in 1864. Its cast iron pediments are called unique among standing Atlanta buildings, and nearby redevelopment plans recommended preserving it.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the oldest extant and intact railroad structure associated with Atlanta's historic center, in a city that grew as a railroad hub. Its Italianate design, red sandstone quoins and cast iron window pediments are described as rare, with the pediments unique among standing Atlanta buildings. It is also presented as a visible link to the city's railroad origins.
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 76000620, listed March 26, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 215 Decatur St., Atlanta |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | March 26, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76000620 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Marked occupied on the form. The warehouse later received a loft, probably in 1921, when it was leased to a concrete and cement business. The original train platforms have been removed. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.75911, -84.38274 (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 76000620.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.