King Plow Company
Also known as: Atlanta Plow Co.; Atlanta Agricultural Works
Why it's listed
This 7.8-acre complex on West Marietta Street in Atlanta was the main manufacturing plant of the King Plow Company, which made farming implements from 1901 to 1986 and shipped to over 38 states and other countries. Ten contributing brick and steel buildings sit beside the railroad tracks. The earliest, built about 1902, use load-bearing masonry walls, heavy timber post-and-beam supports, and segmentally arched windows. Those added in 1936 use steel post-and-truss framing with large factory sash windows. Together they show the move from wood and masonry to steel construction. A c.1940 brick cottage served as the main office. A 1968 steel storage building is noncontributing. The complex was listed for its role in Georgia's industrial history and as an intact example of utilitarian factory design. It has been rehabilitated as an arts center with loft housing, galleries, studios, and performance space, and it is one of the few surviving examples of this type of rail-side industrial complex in Atlanta.
Significance in brief: The complex was the principal plant of the King Plow Company, one of the South's leading makers of farming implements from 1901 to 1986. It is also an intact example of utilitarian industrial design, showing the shift from masonry and heavy timber to steel post-and-truss construction. It is a remnant of the rail-based industrial corridor along Marietta Street.
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 96000337, listed March 28, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 887 W. Marietta St., Atlanta |
|---|---|
| County | Fulton County |
| Listed | March 28, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000337 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1902-1946 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | OTHER: functional |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated through a certified project into studio apartments, gallery space, and a visual and performing arts center (King Plow Arts Center), opened in 1993. |
| Acreage | 7.8 |
| Within district | Howell Interlocking Historic District |
| Coordinates | 33.78163, -84.41606 (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 96000337.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q141760329
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.