Central of Georgia Railroad Terminal
Why it's listed
Built in the 1890s at 1200 6th Avenue in Columbus, Georgia, this passenger terminal was erected for the Central of Georgia Railroad west of the company's earlier 1881 station. It is a two-story building with a polychromatic brick and granite facade in the Victorian Romanesque style. A projecting gabled west pavilion holds a coarse-ashlar granite porte cochere with a semicircular arch entrance, and the stepped gable is trimmed with corbelled brick. Semicircular arched windows, stone bands at the sill line and a bold bracketed eave mark the wings, which are sheltered by cantilevered canopies. The terminal handled passengers for more than 70 years, until the last passenger train stopped in Columbus in 1971. It sits on land that was part of the original city plan's commons, later used for tracks and rail yards. It is regarded as the best Victorian Romanesque building in Columbus, and its granite porte cochere is a rare feature for a public building. The building is mostly vacant and needs repairs.
Significance in brief: The terminal served passengers for over 70 years as the center of rail transportation in Columbus and was built only a few years after the railroad's 1881 terminal. It is described as the best example of Victorian Romanesque architecture in Columbus, with a granite porte cochere that is a rare feature on a public building. It also sits on a commons that was part of the original city plan.
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 80001149, listed September 29, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1200 6th Ave., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Muscogee County |
| Listed | September 29, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001149 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Victorian Romanesque |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Mostly vacant with a limited number of offices; in need of maintenance-type repairs. The last passenger train stopped in Columbus in 1971. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.46875, -84.98364 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 80001149.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q111181832
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.