Tennille Banking Company Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1900 at 102-104 North Main Street in Tennille, this one-story brick building sits across from the railroad tracks in the town's small business district. It was designed by architect Charles E. Choate and housed the Tennille Banking Company along with a store and a dentist's office until the bank moved in 1969. The original facade had six round-arched bays in two groups of three, with brick panels, drip moldings and corbeling. The northern half survives intact, while the southern half is hidden behind a false storefront. The unusually high parapets and curved "harp" shaped side rooflines are notable, and a Mosler bank vault remains inside. The building is significant for its architecture. It is one of two documented Choate commercial buildings in Washington County from early in his career, and its simpler design contrasts with his Holt Banking Company Building in nearby Sandersville. It still serves as a specialty store today.
Significance in brief: It is one of just two commercial buildings documented as designed by Charles Choate in Washington County during the early phase of his career. It shows a simpler approach to commercial architecture than his Holt Banking Company Building in Sandersville, and together the two show the range of his early commercial work.
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 94000715, listed July 28, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 102--104 N. Main St., Tennille |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | July 28, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000715 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900 |
| Architect / builder | Charles E. Choate, architect |
| Architectural style | Other: commercial block/storefront building |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a specialty store; the bank moved to a new structure in 1969. The southern half of the facade has been remodeled with a false storefront. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.93645, -82.81136 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 94000715.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q17059514
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.