Hall County Jail
Also known as: Old Hall County Jail
Why it's listed
Built in 1934-1935 on Bradford Street in Gainesville, the Hall County Jail is a three-story, steel-reinforced concrete building with a basement, finished in a simple Art Deco style. Vertical bands of metal-framed, multi-paned windows give it a look the nomination compares to Sullivanesque design. It replaced an 1879 jail and cost about $59,470, with thirty percent of the money coming from the Public Works Administration and the rest from the sale of state highway certificates. Architect William J.J. Chase of Atlanta designed it, and A.K. Adams and Company built it. Chase was noted for educational and governmental work, including several county courthouses and jails. The building served as the county jail for roughly 45 years until a replacement opened in 1981. Women's cells and a radio room were added in the 1950s and 1960s. It is recognized for its role in local government and as an example of New Deal public works architecture. It now stands vacant but structurally sound.
Significance in brief: The jail is significant in politics and government as a county jail used for about 45 years and funded through 1930s public works programs. It is also significant in architecture as a good example of the Art Deco "public works style" of New Deal building programs. It is further valued as a work of Atlanta architect William J.J. Chase, known for educational and governmental buildings.
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 85002084, listed September 13, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Bradford St., Gainesville |
|---|---|
| County | Hall County |
| Listed | September 13, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002084 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | William J.J. Chase, architect; A.K. Adams, builder |
| Architectural style | Art Deco ("public works style") |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant since the county replaced it with a new jail in 1981; described as in good structural condition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.29793, -83.82562 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 85002084.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q105081821
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.