Brick Store
Why it's listed
Built in 1821 beside U.S. Highway 278 east of Covington, this one-and-a-half-story brick store is a rare surviving example of an early 19th-century Georgia country store. Its load-bearing red brick walls sit on a fieldstone foundation, and the historic floor plan of two open floors with fireplaces remains. The store served settlers traveling a stagecoach route and connected roads toward west Georgia and the Deep South, supplying goods and a place to rest. It also hosted Newton County's first Superior Court session in 1822, served as a post office at various times, and was the meeting hall of a Good Templars temperance lodge from 1879 to 1884. Its mercantile business ended in 1935. A granite monument placed by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1933 stands on the property, which the county historical society now manages. The building was recognized for its architecture, commerce, settlement history and social history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the store is an exceptional and rare surviving antebellum general store, with only four older general stores recorded in Georgia. It stood on historic roads and a stagecoach route used by settlers heading west. It also operated as a mercantile from 1821 to 1935 and hosted a temperance lodge, the Independent Order of Good Templars, from 1879 to 1884.
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 09000186, listed April 9, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | US 278 at Little River Rd./Social Circle Rd., Covington |
|---|---|
| County | Newton County |
| Listed | April 9, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000186 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1821-1935 |
| Architectural style | No style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Exploration/Settlement, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned and managed by the Newton County Historical Society; current functions are listed as monument/marker and clubhouse. The building was significantly renovated in 1973. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 33.60140, -83.74488 (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 09000186.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16953650
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.