Seminole County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Seminole County's courthouse sits on an oval block at Courthouse Square in Donalsonville, Georgia. Completed in 1922 to designs by William J. Chase and built by the Opelika Construction Company, it is a two-story brick building with limestone trim and a central core flanked by wings. A projecting Ionic portico with two-story columns carries an entablature bearing the building's name, a balustrade and a clock, flanked by Latin inscriptions. Round-arched openings, foliate designs, swagged garlands and sculpted Indian heads add detail. Inside, the vaults were enlarged and fire doors added to the hallways, but the courtroom remains unaltered, with a small pediment behind the judge's bench, medallions bearing Roman numerals for the Ten Commandments, plaster walls and original ceiling fans. A renovation in 1978-79 refinished the spectator benches. The building was recognized as the most outstanding structure in Donalsonville and one of the state's finer 1920s courthouses, valued for its plan and its detailing.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the most outstanding building in Donalsonville, a town of about 3,500 people. It is described as one of the state's more outstanding 1920s courthouses because of its plan and its interior and exterior detailing. Its largely unaltered courtroom and continued use as a courthouse also support its significance.
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 80001231, 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., Donalsonville |
|---|---|
| County | Seminole County |
| Listed | September 18, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001231 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | William J. Chase (architect/builder); Opelika Construction Co. (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts: Classical |
| Areas of significance | Economics, Law, Politics/Government, Architecture, Communications |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition; renovated 1978-79 and still used as the county courthouse. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Within district | Donalsonville Historic District |
| Coordinates | 31.04187, -84.88470 (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 80001231.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q30600839
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.