Union County Jail
Also known as: Old Union County Jail
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Why it's listed
Built in 1934 on a sloping lot in the center of Blairsville, this two-story rock building served as the Union County jail for roughly four decades. It has raised mortar on the front facade, a one-story porch with tapered wood columns on rock piers, and a hipped roof. Inside, a central hall with a staircase keeps its wood floors and whitewashed rock walls, while the second-floor cell area has concrete floors, rock walls and a beamed concrete ceiling. A one-story frame wing was added at the rear after World War II. County minutes show the new jail was under construction in April 1934 and finished that October, replacing an earlier jail dating from 1887. It remained in use until the early 1970s, when a joint town and county jail opened. Today it houses city offices and the Chamber of Commerce. Its local importance rests on its mountain vernacular design and its long role in county government.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites significance in architecture and politics/government at the local level. Its vernacular design and materials express its mountain community setting, and the design resembles public works program styles of the period, although no documentation links it to such a program. It also served as the Union County jail for over 40 years.
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 85002088, listed September 13, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Blue Ridge Rd., Blairsville |
|---|---|
| County | Union County |
| Listed | September 13, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002088 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Served as the county jail from 1934 until the early 1970s; now used as Blairsville City Hall and Chamber of Commerce office. Described as in good condition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.87588, -83.95979 (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 85002088.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q28153760
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.