Gwinnett County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Dominating the town square in Lawrenceville, this two-story brick courthouse dates to 1872, making it one of the few Georgia courthouses built just after the Civil War. Its massing is asymmetrical, with interior chimneys that give it a solid, heavy look. The most distinctive feature is the clock tower at the corner, which has an unusual round corner balcony, additional bracketed balconies, Palladian windows, and pediments topped by a small ribbed dome and hooded clocks. The facade has a projecting entrance porch with large round arches, and triplet windows under a segmental arch sit above it. Second Empire elements mark the style. A rear annex was added in 1937 and a courtroom was divided in 1973-74, and interior renovation has altered the original character. The exterior has changed little, and the building sits in the center of an original Georgia county created in 1818 from Cherokee and Creek cessions.
Significance in brief: The survey form describes it as an 1872 building, one of the few courthouses built just after the Civil War, and notes that its exterior has not changed drastically. Its position in the town square gives it a dominant place in Lawrenceville. Gwinnett is also described as an original county, created in 1818 from Cherokee and Creek cessions.
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 80001084, 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., Lawrenceville |
|---|---|
| County | Gwinnett County |
| Listed | September 18, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001084 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Second Empire elements |
| Areas of significance | Economics, Law, Politics/Government, Architecture, Communications |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition; the interior was renovated, which the form says totally changed its original character. A 1937 annex was added to the rear and a courtroom was divided in 1973-74. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 33.95692, -83.98900 (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 80001084.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5623664
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.