Gilmer County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Built in 1898 as the Old Hyatt Hotel, this two-story brick building on Courthouse Square in Ellijay was modified in 1934 to serve as the Gilmer County Courthouse. It remains the only adaptive structure in use as a courthouse in Georgia. The exterior is Neo-Classical, with a Corinthian tetrastyle porch, fluted columns, a plain entablature, and a pediment with a central oculus. A balcony sits over the segmentally arched entrance. Because the building stands close to the street, steps rise at each end of the porch instead of at the front. Inside, the foyer still resembles a hotel lobby, complete with a fireplace, and a wide wooden staircase leads upstairs. The first-floor courtroom, unusual in Georgia, occupies the former hotel dining room and has stained glass edging the upper window panes. The square location supported the economic importance of neighboring businesses. The block also holds two non-historic buildings, a health department and a jail.
Significance in brief: It is described as the only adaptive structure in use as a courthouse in Georgia. Its town-square site helped ensure the economic importance of nearby businesses. Review notes also cite continued historic use and surviving interior first-floor materials and features, including a cast spiral stair.
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 80001081, 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., Ellijay |
|---|---|
| County | Gilmer County |
| Listed | September 18, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001081 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classical |
| Areas of significance | Economics, Law, Politics/Government, Architecture, Communications |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed condition is fair; the building continues in use as a courthouse. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 34.69511, -84.48327 (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 80001081.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5562496
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.