Macon County Courthouse
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Why it's listed
Macon County's courthouse sits on Courthouse Square in Oglethorpe. Built in 1894, it is a two-story brick building in the Romanesque style, and its architect and contractor are unknown. S. T. Lofley and C. A. Greer served as building superintendents. Four corner pavilions have pyramidal caps, and broad Romanesque arches mark the two side entrances. A projecting main portico with four thin columns appears to be a later addition. Angled rows of projecting brick form stringcourses and drip-stone molding around the first-story windows. The clock tower rises in stages from an open bell level to pedimented clocks and an octagonal dome with a finial. Inside, double stairways lead to the courtroom, where the ceiling has been lowered and acoustical tile installed. Its Victorian judge's bench, made of beaded boards with corner blocks and reeding, is the most outstanding feature. The courthouse was listed because it is a good example of a carpenter's version of Romanesque design, comparable to the Berrien County courthouse of 1898. The building is in good condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a good example of a carpenter's version of the Romanesque Style, with an architecture resembling the 1898 Berrien County courthouse. It was nominated as part of a thematic group of Georgia courthouses. Its clock tower and Victorian judge's bench are noted as outstanding features.
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 80001113, 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., Oglethorpe |
|---|---|
| County | Macon County |
| Listed | September 18, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001113 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect and contractor unknown; building superintendents S. T. Lofley and C. A. Greer |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| Areas of significance | Economics, Law, Politics/Government, Architecture, Communications |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good; some repair was done in 1976 using prison labor, and a new jail is attached at the rear. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 32.29333, -84.06012 (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 80001113.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16965198
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.