Warm Springs Historic District
Why it's listed
On the north slope of Pine Mountain in Warm Springs, Georgia, this district gathers the Warm Springs Foundation hospital complex, a golf course, private cottages and Franklin D. Roosevelt's Little White House. Springs flowing at a constant 89 degrees drew visitors long before the Foundation, first as a refuge for Native American warriors and later as a nineteenth-century resort. Roosevelt came in 1924 after contracting polio and founded the Foundation in 1927. Architect Henry Toombs designed most of the buildings over about forty years, including Georgia Hall, a chapel, and a quadrangle of connected structures around an open courtyard. Roosevelt's six-room clapboard cottage was completed in 1932. There, ideas for the National Bank Holiday and the Rural Electrification Administration took shape, and Roosevelt died there on April 12, 1945. The district is recognized for polio treatment, Roosevelt's political legacy and Toombs's architecture.
Significance in brief: The district has been known as a health resort since Indian times and became the only center devoted exclusively to the after-treatment of poliomyelitis. It was also Franklin D. Roosevelt's Georgia home, where New Deal policies such as the Bank Holiday and rural electrification were shaped. The Foundation layout by architect Henry Toombs is considered his most important work.
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 74000694, listed July 30, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | S of GA 194 and W of GA 85W, Warm Springs |
|---|---|
| County | Meriwether County |
| Listed | July 30, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74000694 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1830's; 1880-90; 1927-late 1960's |
| Architect / builder | Henry Toombs (architect of the Foundation buildings, cottages and Little White House); Joe Amasanto (Children's Hospital); Donald Ross (golf course designer) |
| Architectural style | Simple frame or brick buildings in a relaxed manner with classical details |
| Areas of significance | Science, Politics/Government, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated January 16, 1980 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent and unaltered, on its original site; occupied, owned by the State of Georgia, and used as a museum and for scientific purposes. |
| Acreage | 265 |
| Coordinates | 32.89231, -84.68991 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 74000694.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7969573
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.