Baron-York Building
Also known as: Moulder's Photography
Why it's listed
Built around the turn of the century on the square in Clarkesville, this rectangular brick commercial building was first a dry goods store owned by V.C. Baron and later by M.C. York. Like its neighbors, it is set into a steep hillside, so it shows two stories to the square and three at the rear. The second floor keeps its robust hood moldings, corbeled brick cornice and simple brick brackets, while the street level has been remodeled and a balcony was removed in 1975. Over time it held a post office, a feed and seed store, a dime store, a factory outlet, a photography studio and a law office upstairs. It is one of just five historic commercial buildings left on the square and a good local example of late Victorian commercial design. It also has a place in local communications history: York ran a telephone line between his business and home, which grew into the Standard Telephone Company, now serving a seven-county area.
Significance in brief: The building is a good local example of turn-of-the-century small-town commercial architecture, with materials and facade design typical of late Victorian commercial buildings in Georgia. It is one of only five surviving historic commercial buildings on the square. It also housed retail businesses and the post office, and M.C. York started Clarkesville's telephone system here.
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 82002426, listed August 18, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 714 N. Washington St., Clarkesville |
|---|---|
| County | Habersham County |
| Listed | August 18, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002426 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Romanesque-styled commercial brick building (late Victorian commercial) |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture, Communications |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition; in use as a photography studio at the time of the survey. The street-level floor was remodeled and the balcony removed in 1975, while the second floor remains intact. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | Clarkesville Downtown Square Historic District |
| Coordinates | 34.61569, -83.52604 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 82002426.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134360380
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.