Walton County Courthouse
Why it's listed
Walton County's courthouse sits on a two-acre block in the center of Monroe, Georgia. Built in 1883-84 at a cost of $23,865, it was designed by Bruce & Morgan and constructed by contractor James Smith. The Second Empire building has a mansard roof, an Italianate bracketed cornice, and segmental and round-arched windows with banded stone lintels. A five-bay center pavilion projects forward, fronted by a porch with wooden columns. The original ornate domed clock tower blew down in a storm and was replaced in 1910 by a simpler tower with pedimented clocks. The interior has been altered, including a lowered courtroom ceiling and an enclosed balcony, but pedestal jurors' chairs of woven cane remain. Repairs and a heating system were added in 1933, with more remodeling in 1976. The courthouse is significant for its link to the architects Bruce and Morgan, whose plan closely resembles that of the 1883 Hancock County Courthouse built by the same contractor.
Significance in brief: The nomination ties the courthouse to the architects Bruce and Morgan, noting that its plan is strikingly similar to the 1883 Hancock County Courthouse, on which Bruce assisted William Parkins. The same contractor, James Smith of Sparta, worked on both buildings. It is a Second Empire courthouse that has stayed in county use and kept much of its exterior character.
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 80001256, 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., Monroe |
|---|---|
| County | Walton County |
| Listed | September 18, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001256 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Bruce & Morgan (architects); James Smith (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Economics, Law, Politics/Government, Architecture, Communications |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition; owned and maintained by the county, with remodeling in 1933 and 1976 and a 1962 conversion of the clock to electricity. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Within district | Monroe Commercial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 33.79457, -83.71243 (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 80001256.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q55637368
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.