Farmers and Citizens Supply Company Block
Why it's listed
Built around 1906 at the corner of Main and 3rd Streets in Watkinsville, this two-story brick commercial block has a flat roof, a corbeled brick cornice, cast-iron storefront windows with decorative pilasters, and eight four-over-four windows on the upper floor. A recessed corner entrance behind a mitered corner keeps its original tile flooring and marble doorstep. The interior is divided into three sections that match the three businesses it once held. The building was created for the Farmers and Citizens Supply Company, a wholesale and retail dry goods, grocery and general supply business formed in 1906. It also housed a doctor's office and drugstore and the Farmers and Citizens Bank, and later a barber shop, mortuary, skating rink and restaurant. It is the largest intact historic commercial structure in Watkinsville and one of the few surviving vernacular commercial buildings there. These qualities, along with its role in local commerce, supported its listing for both architecture and commerce.
Significance in brief: It is a good example of early 20th-century vernacular commercial architecture in small Georgia towns, with brick construction, a corbeled cornice, cast-iron storefront windows and an unusual mitered corner entrance. It is also tied to the early 20th-century commercial development of Watkinsville through the Farmers and Citizens Supply Company, and is the largest intact historic commercial structure in town.
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 87001104, listed July 2, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | US 129, Watkinsville |
|---|---|
| County | Oconee County |
| Listed | July 2, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001104 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1906 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Early 20th-century vernacular commercial |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in excellent condition and altered, with most of the first-floor interior replaced; the second floor keeps its original finishes. Current uses include commercial. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 33.86342, -83.41048 (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 87001104.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q134440334
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.