National Register of Historic Places

Telfair County Courthouse and Jail

McRae, Telfair County, Georgia
Listed
June 7, 1995
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
95000720

About this property

The Telfair County, Georgia Courthouse in McRae-Helena was built in 1934 using the walls of the previous courthouse, lost to fire earlier that year. It was designed by architects Dennis & Dennis. The nearby Telfair County Jail was built in 1902. The courthouse and jail were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. Telfair county, named for Governor Edward Telfair, was established in 1807. Its first two courthouses, one of log, the other a two-story wooden building, were located in the original county seat at Jacksonville. Jacksonville, with its plantation economy and river landing, was replaced as county seat in 1870 by McRae, located on the Macon and Brunswick Railroad. The third courthouse, the first in McRae, was a frame building built in 1872 or 1873, and was replaced by a brick courthouse in 1888. That courthouse burned around 1900 and was replaced by Telfair's fifth courthouse, again of brick, in 1904. It burned in 1934 and was replaced by the current, sixth, courthouse later that year using the walls of the 1904 building. The jail was built in 1902 near the eventual location of the 1904 courthouse. It was the first brick jail in the county. The courthouse, in the Colonial Revival-style, is a two-story brick building. The main entrance features three arched entryways and an in antis portico. The side and rear entrances are pedimented with transoms and double doors. The jail is a two-story brick building with hipped roof, four chimneys, center front gable, and an enclosed front porch. There is decorative brick detailing along the cornice. The Macon, Georgia architecture firm of Dennis & Dennis designed the courthouse, as well as the Emanuel County and Peach County courthouses, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Telfair County Courthouse and Jail were added to the register in 1995. Media related to Telfair County Courthouse and Jail at Wikimedia Commons Photos of the jail before and after a 2013 renovation, Telfair Sheriff website

Location

McRae, Telfair County, Georgia
32.06711, -82.89645

Categories

ARCHITECTUREPOLITICS/GOVERNMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

McRae, Max and Emma Sue, House
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0.3 mi
South Georgia College Administration Building
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0.8 mi
Wheeler County Courthouse
Industrial
8.7 mi
Glenwood High School
Industrial
15 mi
Woodland
Pre Contact
15.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Telfair County Courthouse and Jail listed on the National Register?

Telfair County Courthouse and Jail was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 7, 1995.

What type of historic resource is Telfair County Courthouse and Jail?

Telfair County Courthouse and Jail is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Telfair County Courthouse and Jail?

The period of significance for Telfair County Courthouse and Jail is recorded as the industrial era.

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