Upson County County Courthouse
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Why it's listed
Thomaston's Upson County Courthouse, completed in 1908 at a cost of $49,735, occupies a square block of about 1.5 acres. Designed by architect Frank P. Milburn and built by Gude & Company, it is a three-story Neo-Classical building of cream colored brick with stone trim. Brick columns on high bases form Ionic tetrastyle porticoes at four pedimented entrances. A plain domed clock tower rises in three stages from a square base, with clocks facing four directions. Segmental arched windows alternate with rectangular ones on the first and second stories. The building resembles Milburn's Wilcox County courthouse in Abbeville, though its tower is plainer and less Baroque. It is one of four Georgia courthouse designs by Milburn. Its exterior is of greater architectural value than its interior, which was altered in a 1968 renovation. Its bulk and dominance of the square, and its relationship to surrounding structures, give a feeling of visual stability.
Significance in brief: It is one of four Georgia courthouse designs by architect Frank P. Milburn and resembles his courthouse for Wilcox County. The exterior has greater architectural value than the interior. Its bulk and dominance of the square give a feeling of visual stability.
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 80001251, 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., Thomaston |
|---|---|
| County | Upson County |
| Listed | September 18, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001251 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Frank P. Milburn (architect); Gude & Company (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classical |
| Areas of significance | Economics, Law, Politics/Government, Architecture, Communications |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition; extensively renovated in 1968 with lowered ceilings, acoustical tile, fluorescent lighting and new wiring. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 32.88760, -84.32671 (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 80001251.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16902403
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.