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U.S. Post Office and Courthouse

Waycross, Ware County, Georgia Listed Ref. 80001258 Building Vacant per nomination
U.S. Post Office and Courthouse, Waycross, Georgia
Photo: Flanders Studio, Waycross, Georgia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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Why it's listed

Located on Elizabeth Street in downtown Waycross, this two-story masonry building served as the city's post office and federal courthouse. It was built in 1911 as a one-story structure with a basement. In 1936 a second story and two-story wings were added, partly to house the United States District Court. The exterior's middle portion is marble and granite, and the front is symmetrical, with a large cornice and four arched windows beside the entrance. Inside, Georgia marble stairs, marble wainscoting, oak woodwork and terrazzo and maple floors reflect the quality of the materials. James Knox Taylor is named as architect of the original, G. W. Stone designed the addition, and a Chicago firm, Dice-Schmidt Construction Co., was the contractor. The nomination presents the building as an example of Renaissance Revival design in the Romano-Tuscan mode, common among federal buildings of the period. It has been unoccupied since 1975, when postal operations moved to a new facility, though the structure remains sound.

Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a significant example of Renaissance Revival architecture, Romano-Tuscan mode, a type used for many federal buildings of its time. It cites the age, architecture, workmanship and materials, including marble and oak interiors. The form states that no historic events were linked to the site, and that the 1936 addition enhanced rather than detracted from the building.

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 80001258, listed February 1, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).

Key facts

Address605 Elizabeth St., Waycross
CountyWare County
ListedFebruary 1, 1980
Reference number80001258
Resource typeBuilding
Period of significance1911-1936
Architect / builderArchitect James Knox [Taylor] (original, 1911; name partly garbled in the text); G. W. Stone (1936 addition); contractor Dice-Schmidt Construction Co., Chicago, Illinois, Lucius E. Allen, Construction Engineer
Architectural styleRenaissance Revival Architecture, Romano-Tuscan Mode
Areas of significanceEngineering, Architecture
Level of significanceLocal
Status (as stated in the nomination)Unoccupied since 1975 after the Postal Service moved to a new facility; described as structurally sound but with interior deterioration from lack of maintenance, including peeling paint.
Acreage0.5
Within districtDowntown Waycross Historic District
Coordinates31.20940, -82.36187 (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.

Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.

Sources and further reading

Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.