The Story

This High Victorian style courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was constructed in 1892. It stands as one of the tallest historic courthouses in Georgia and features many intricate architectural details that reflect its significance, including, the turreted clock tower, Romanesque arches, an onion domed turret and a Palladian window. Materials from within the state were used whenever possible for the construction, such as Georgia clay for the bricks, Georgia granite, and Georgia pines for the structure and floors. The courthouse is an icon for the area, standing in the center square of Dawson.

The Threat

Listed on The Georgia Trust’s inaugural Places in Peril list in 2006, the courthouse was fully rehabilitated in 2009. However, in 2018 the building suffered new damage to its roof and exterior as a result of Hurricane Michael. Major leaks and water damage have since occurred. The court and multiple county offices have been displaced, and although the majority of the emergency repairs have been completed on the exterior, the building remains unoccupied and closed to the public, as the county lacks the resources to return the building to its safe rehabilitated condition.

Images by MotorSportMedia | Halston Pitman & Nick Woolever