Taliaferro County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Built in 1901 for $19,600, the Taliaferro County Courthouse in Crawfordville is a brick, two-story building over a basement, designed by Lewis F. Goodrich and constructed by J. H. McKenzie & Son. It is described as High Victorian in style. A rectangular corner clock tower carries an octagonal domed cupola, and the center bays of the facade and side elevations each have a one-story projecting entrance porch topped by a balustrade. Windows mix round, segmental and rectangular arches, and the corner pavilions have differing roof styles. Inside, the old courtroom keeps its high ceiling and some small panes of colored glass in the transoms, although the interior is run-down. The first session of court was held on May 12, 1902, with Judge Horace M. Holden presiding; he later served as an associate justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. The courthouse also preserves county records of marriages, wills, land transactions and road construction. The old jail beside it has since been demolished.
Significance in brief: The nomination notes that Judge Horace M. Holden, later an associate justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, presided over the first court session on May 12, 1902. It also holds county records of marriages, wills, land transactions and road construction. Review notes cite its continuing historic use and surviving interior features, including floor materials and a cast spiral stair.
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 80001242, listed September 18, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | GA 12, Crawfordville |
|---|---|
| County | Taliaferro County |
| Listed | September 18, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001242 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect/builder Lewis F. Goodrich; contractor J. H. McKenzie & Son |
| Architectural style | High Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Economics, Law, Politics/Government, Architecture, Communications |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in need of renovation, with a run-down interior; the adjacent old jail has been demolished per a 7/21/80 addendum. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Within district | Crawfordville Historic District |
| Coordinates | 33.55463, -82.89666 (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 80001242.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q7679475
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.