Augusta Downtown Historic District Explained

Augusta Downtown Historic District
Nrhp Type:	hd
Location:	Bounded by Gordon Hwy., 13 St., Augusta Canal, and the Savannah River
Coordinates:	33.4717°N -81.9639°W
Architect:	Multiple
Architecture:	Greek, Italianate, Gothic revival, Federal, Victorian, Queen Anne, Second Empire, Beaux Arts, Romanesque, Classical, Craftsman, Art Deco, and International
Added:	June 11, 2004
Refnum:	04000515
Nocat:	yes

Augusta Downtown Historic District is a historic district that encompasses most of Downtown Augusta, Georgia and its pre-Civil War area.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.

Notable historic sites

Downtown Augusta is home to many historical sites. Some of these include:

• Academy of Richmond County - 1801 campus— Designed by Richard Clarke, completed in 1801-2 and was the first educational institute in the state. The two original buildings on Bay Street were wood-framed, and their deterioration led to the construction of the Telfair Street campus.^[1]
• Augusta Cotton Exchange Building— built in the 1880s at the height of cotton production and trade in Augusta. Now a branch of Georgia Bank and Trust.
• Church of the Most Holy Trinity
• Congregation of B'nai Israel Synagogue - Opened in 1869 and the oldest standing synagogue in Georgia.
• First Baptist Church of Augusta
• First Presbyterian Church
• Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art— Founded in 1937 and is the only independent non-profit visual arts school in the Augusta-Aiken metropolitan area.
• Lamar Building— Built in 1913 and, with 16 floors, is the third tallest building in Augusta. It was designed by architect William Lee Stoddart.
• Old Government House— Housed the seat of the local government from 1801 to 1821. Now a reception hall.
• Old Medical College of Georgia Building— Housed the Medical College of Georgia from 1835 to 1913. Now a conference & events center for the medical school.
• Sacred Heart Cultural Center— Built in 1900 and is a former Roman Catholic church. Now an events center.
• St. Paul's Episcopal Church— Founded in 1750, it is the oldest church in Augusta. Was burned to the ground in 1916 with many other buildings. It was rebuilt in 1919.
• United States Post Office and Courthouse

Downtown Augusta contains a large amount of historical homes, many being built in the 19th century. Some of these homes include:

• Brahe House
• Joseph Rucker Lamar Boyhood Home— Lamar resided here when he was studying law.
• Phinizy Residence
• Platt Fleming Walker d'Antignac House
• Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home— The residence of Woodrow Wilson until the age of 14.
• Zachary Daniels House

See also

• Broad Street Historic District (Augusta, Georgia)
• History of Augusta, Georgia

External links

• Downtown Historic District (AugustaGA.gov) — former district boundaries map (Note: map boundaries out-of-date, district now extends south to Walton Way)
• Augusta Downtown Historic District
• Historic Downtown Monuments — Augusta Chronicle Augusta history web series
• Boyhood Home of Woodrow Wilson

Notes and References

1. Web site: Old Academy of Richmond County--Augusta: A Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary.