Atlanta Women's Club
Also known as: Peachtree Playhouse; Community Playhouse
Why it's listed
Three buildings on Peachtree Street in Atlanta form the Atlanta Women's Club complex: a clubhouse, a banquet hall and an auditorium. The clubhouse, a stone French Chateau-style residence with a round tower and steep tiled roofs, was designed by Walter T. Downing and built in 1898 for the Wimbish family. The club acquired it in 1919 and 1920. Architects P. Thornton Mayre and Barrett Alger then followed a 1921 master plan, adding a Louis XV-style banquet hall in 1921 and the Lucille King Thomas Auditorium, which opened in April 1922 at a cost of $110,000. The members financed the auditorium themselves through life insurance purchases. A pool followed around 1925. Founded in 1895 with social, literary and humanitarian aims, the club made the complex a centre for art, literature and philanthropy. The seating of about 650, the acoustics and an early movable skylight curtain set the auditorium apart, and it still hosts Broadway touring plays.
Significance in brief: The nomination bases significance on the architecture of the clubhouse and its additions, and on the Atlanta Women's Club's importance to art, literature and philanthropy in Atlanta. The additions followed a 1921 master plan by architects P. Thornton Mayre and Barrett Alger, and the women financed the auditorium themselves. The auditorium was considered technically advanced for its day and remains a Broadway-type theatre in Atlanta.
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 79000718, listed January 31, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1150 Peachtree St., NE., Atlanta |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | January 31, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000718 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1898-1922 |
| Architect / builder | Walter T. Downing (clubhouse); P. Thornton Mayre and Barrett Alger (banquet hall, auditorium); W.P. Francis, contractor (auditorium) |
| Architectural style | French Chateau (clubhouse); Louis XV (banquet hall) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History, Performing Arts |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in generally excellent condition; the clubhouse is used for club offices, function rooms and some member living rooms, and the auditorium hosts Broadway plays. The swimming pool has been out of use for many years. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 33.78590, -84.38306 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 79000718.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4816180
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.