Buford Public School Auditorium
Why it's listed
Built in 1926 by the Buford Board of Education, this two-story brick auditorium at the head of Little Mill Road is the only surviving building of Buford's Church Street school campus. It has an arcaded Renaissance Revival-style entrance porch, a stepped-parapet front, and four large arched steel-framed windows along each side. Inside, it originally seated over 800 people, with a raised stage, dressing rooms and an inclined floor. For three decades it hosted school plays, assemblies, political rallies, public meetings and community shows such as the Buford Follies. Part of the floor was converted to a small basketball court in 1946. Use as a school auditorium ended in 1956, when a new school complex opened on Hill Street. Furniture companies then used the building as a warehouse, and it was rehabilitated for offices and storage after 2006. It was listed for its role in local education and entertainment and as a representative school auditorium design.
Significance in brief: It was the largest interior space in Buford for school events, performances and public meetings for about 30 years. It is the only surviving building from the pre-World War II Buford school campus. It is also a good representative example of an early 20th-century Georgia public school auditorium with a Renaissance Revival-style arcaded entrance.
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 09000586, listed August 5, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 4975 Little Mill Rd., Buford |
|---|---|
| County | Gwinnett County |
| Listed | August 5, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000586 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1926-1956 |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revivals: Italian Renaissance |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Education, Entertainment/Recreation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated after 2006 as offices and a warehouse; the interior was altered beginning in 1956, and the second-floor porch windows are water-damaged and unreplaced. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.12141, -84.01012 (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 09000586.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134357141
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.