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Photograph of Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse
Photograph by Unknown, Public domain. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Federal Building and Courthouse

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

From the record

“Courthouse is a historic building in Gainesville, Georgia, located at 126 Washington Street. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 24, 1974.”

Wikipedia article Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse (Gainesville, Georgia), CC BY-SA 4.0.

One of 22 National Register listings published here for Hall County · listed in 1974 · category: Building.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service · the Wikipedia article

The listing

  • What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 building as contributing to the listing.
  • Address. 126 Washington St., Gainesville, 30501
  • When was it listed? January 1974
  • Category. building
  • Census division. Gainesville
  • Architectural style. Neoclassical architecture
  • National Register reference number. 74000684 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

Fires near this property

243 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 243 fires within 5 miles of Federal Building and Courthouse between 1992 and 2020, burning about 401 acres in total. 1 started naturally. 40 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning108
Arson/incendiarism40
Missing data/not specified/undetermined29
Equipment and vehicle use23
Misuse of fire by a minor21
Smoking10
Railroad operations and maintenance6
Recreation and ceremony5
Natural1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
26 September 2019Debris and open burningunder an acreGeorgia Forestry CommissionFY2020HALL002
23 September 2004Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreGeorgia Forestry Commissionnot named
19 September 2007Debris and open burningunder an acreGeorgia Forestry Commissionnot named
18 September 2010Misuse of fire by a minorunder an acreGeorgia Forestry CommissionFY2011-HALL-006
18 September 1999Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.9 acresGeorgia Forestry Commissionnot named
9 August 2007Equipment and vehicle useunder an acreGeorgia Forestry Commissionnot named
5 August 1996Arson/incendiarismunder an acreGeorgia Forestry Commissionnot named
28 August 2003Equipment and vehicle useunder an acreGeorgia Forestry Commissionnot named

Every fire recorded in Hall County

Mines and quarries near this property

10 of 14 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 14 workings within 5 miles of Federal Building and Courthouse: 9 prospects, 4 past producers, 1 producer. 1 still produces. What was taken out: Gold, Mica, Stone, Crushed/Broken. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Gainesville QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
MerkGold, MicaProspectVein
Brenau CollegeGoldProspectVein
Currahee MineGoldProspectVein
DeanGoldProspectVein
JonesGoldPast ProducerVein
Longstreet MineGoldProspectVein
Mammoth MineGoldProspectVein
Maynas MineGoldPast ProducerVein
O'ShieldsGoldProspectVein

Every working recorded in Hall County

Storms near this property

60 of 81 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Gainesville, the town this property stands in, in 81 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 40 hail, 28 thunderstorm wind, 5 lightning, 2 tornado. The reports record 2 deaths. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
July 2005LightningGainesville2 killed, $750,000The Gainesville Times reported that a 14-year old girl and her 17-month old cousin died when lightning struck a tree under which they were standing at Old Federal Park on Lake Lanier. The two died within an hour of the incident at a nearby hospital in Gainesville. The 14-year old was holding the little girl in her arms and standing underneath a tree when lightning struck. The two were not hit directly, but the lightning ran down the tree and into them. Lightning was also to blame for fires at eight homes and two businesses across the county.
June 2008HailGainesville$1,000,000Several reports of large hail were received from the public from the area between Murrayville and Gainesville. Golf ball-sized hail was observed two miles north of Gainesville, while quarter-sized hail was observed four to five miles northwest of Gainesville, or just southeast of Murrayville. Hail covered the ground in these later areas. A few trees were also blown down in the area.
June 2001Flash FloodGainesville$500,000The Gainesville Times newspaper reported that excess rainfall from thunderstorms, on the order of 4 or more inches during a two to three hour period, resulted in flooding of Flat Creek and the subsequent flooding of Downtowner Mobile Home Park on McConnell Road. Twenty-five mobile homes were damaged or destroyed by the flood waters. Flood waters rose up above the doors and windows of the mobile homes. In addition, several roads in Gainesville were flooded and a section of the Atlanta Highway had to be closed. On Thompson Bridge Road, a Publix Grocery Store was flooded by overflowing and blocked drains. However, water was only 4-5 inches deep in the store and little significant damage was reported here.
March 2008HailGainesville$300,000A storm spotter observed golf ball-sized hail just northwest of Lula. The public observed ping-pong ball-sized hail approximately five miles north of Gainesville along near Georgia Highway 284/Clarks Bridge Road.
April 2001LightningGainesville$150,000The Times newspaper in Gainesville reported that lightning struck a house on Cedar Creek Road east of Gainesville in eastern Hall county. The lightning ignited a fire in the kitchen which resulted in moderate to heavy damage to the interior of the home and heavy damage to the attic. A utility pole was also struck and set on fire by lightning on the same street. Numerous outages to telephone, cable, and power were reported in the area because of the intense cloud-to-ground lightning.
March 2008Thunderstorm WindGainesville$75,000The Hall County Fire and Rescue Department reported that up to 20 trees and several power lines were down in the Gainesville area, and up to three miles south of Gainesville. It was originally reported that a tornado had touched down on the south side of Gainesville, but an aerial survey conducted by the National Weather Service Forecast office in Peachtree City, Georgia in cooperation with the Georgia State Patrol concluded that the damage observed in Hall county was from straight-line winds and not that of a tornado. Several power lines were also down in the area, including several near the intersection of Georgia Highway 53 and McEver Road, about three miles west-southwest of Gainesville. The Gainesville Times reported that two brand new Hondas at Milton Martin Honda were destroyed when a tree was blown down onto them.
November 2004Thunderstorm WindGainesville$75,000The Hall County Emergency Management Director reported that a home on Camp Spring Drive suffered extensive damage from strong thunderstorm wind gusts. Half of the roof was blown off the home and the garage collapsed. At another location, namely Georgia Highway 60 South, a 100 by 50 foot storage building was destroyed. Many trees were blown down throughout the Gainesville area.
July 2008Heavy RainGainesville$50,000An amateur radio operator reported that heavy rain, on the order of 2 inches in an hour or less, caused a roof of a building on Queen City Parkway, just south of downtown Gainesville, to collapse.
July 1999LightningGainesville$50,000A bolt of lightning ignited a fire that gutted a house on the south side of Gainesville.
July 1998Thunderstorm WindGainesville$50,000Thunderstorm winds knocked trees and power lines down. Some trees fell on houses, causing damage. A church steeple collapsed, a car was turned upside down, and the awning at a service station was damaged. Hall county 911 reported trees were knocked down from Gainesville to the Forsyth county line, with debris all along the route. A 175 foot tower was knocked down.
June 2013Thunderstorm WindGainesville$30,000The Hall County Emergency Manager reported several trees down in Gainesville. A tree and power lines were down on a car, trapping the occupant, and another tree was downed on a pickup truck, also trapping the occupant. No injuries were reported. Trees and power lines were down along Blueberry Hills Drive, Athens Street, Stallworth Street, MLK Jr. Boulevard, and East Ridge Road.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindGainesville$30,000Thunderstorm winds knocked several trees down in the Flat Creek Road area southwest of Gainesville and in the Barrett Road area of east Hall county. Three homes were damaged by falling trees. Trees were also tangled in power lines.
March 2008Thunderstorm WindGainesville$25,000The Hall County Emergency Management Director reported that a tree was down on a home in Gainesville. A couple of trees were also down in the Lula area.
August 2002Thunderstorm WindGainesville$25,000The Hall county 911 center reported that several trees and power lines were blown down across the eastern portion of the county from Gainesville to Gillsville and Belmont. One 30 foot tree fell on a house in Gillsville on Georgia Highway 52, causing minor damage to the roof.
August 2000Thunderstorm WindGainesville$20,000The Hall county 911 center reported that two trees, blown down by thunderstorm winds, had caused considerable damage to two homes. One tree fell on the roof of one home causing considerable roof damage. The other also fell on the roof of a home, but broke several windows out as well.
August 2004Thunderstorm WindGainesville$7,000The Hall County 911 Center reported that a number of trees had been blown down around the county. In addition, the public reported that sheet metal was ripped off a building.
December 2024Thunderstorm WindGainesville$6,000Half a dozen trees down across roadways in Gainesville.
June 2007LightningGainesville$5,000The Hall County 911 Center reported that lightning struck a building in the city causing minor damage.
January 2007Thunderstorm WindGainesville$5,000The Hall County 911 Center reported that a number of trees and power lines were down throughout the central and eastern part of the county, especially from Gainesville to Lula. The most significant damage occurred in the Lula area. Power lines were down in White Sulfer, Pavery, Branon, and Gainesville as well.
July 2004Thunderstorm WindGainesville$5,000The public reported that a trailer and several trees were blown over on Brown's Bridge Road west of Gainesville.
August 2000Thunderstorm WindGainesville$5,000The Hall county 911 center reported wind damage at Clarks Bridge Park.
June 1994Tornado (F0)Gainesville$5,000A short lived tornado was reported 15 miles north of Gainesville along a remote section of Georgia Highway 52. Several large pine trees were uprooted or snapped midway up from the crown.
January 2014Thunderstorm WindGainesville$4,000The Hall County 911 Center reported that 10 trees and power lines were blown down across the eastern portion of the county.
July 2007Thunderstorm WindGainesville$3,000The Hall County 911 Center reported that 10 trees were down across the county, mainly the western and southern portions. Pea-sized hail was also reported in Gainesville.
May 2000Thunderstorm WindGainesville$3,000The Hall county 911 center reported large trees and some power lines down on Point View Circle.
September 2003Thunderstorm WindGainesville$2,000The Hall county 911 center reported that at least three, possibly four trees were down in the city. One of the trees was down on a power line.
September 1996Thunderstorm WindGainesville$2,000no account filed
July 2005Thunderstorm WindGainesville$1,500The Times of Gainesville reported that a tree was blown down during a thunderstorm causing a couple of power lines to come down. Approximately 165 residents were without power for a few hours as a result.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindGainesville$1,000Tree down along South Enota Drive NE near the intersection with Park Hill Drive.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindGainesville$1,000Public report of an oak tree down on Cumberland Valley Rd.
July 2007LightningGainesville$1,000The Gainesville Times reported that lightning struck several trees on McEver Road, toppling them and causing them to catch on fire.
May 2006Thunderstorm WindGainesville$1,000The public reported several trees down in a small confined area northwest of Gainesville.
July 2000Thunderstorm WindGainesville$1,000The public reported some trees down.
May 2002Thunderstorm WindGainesville$750The Hall county 911 center reported several trees down.
June 1994Tornado (F0)Gainesville$500A weak and short lived tornado briefly touched down along U.S Highway 23 and uprooted a few large pines trees.
June 1995Thunderstorm WindGainesville$400Thunderstorm winds knocked trees down near Gainesville at New Holland Mill and also at Jim Hood Road.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindGainesville-Tree down at the 800 block of Chattahoochee Street.
October 2021Flash FloodGainesville-The Emergency Manager reported flooding at several locations in Gainesville, including but not limited to Chestatee Road at Pearl Nix Parkway, 1300 block of Cumberland Drive, 1700 block of MLK Boulevard, Wessell Road at Dixon Drive, High Street at Pine Street, and Race Street between Jesse Jewell Parkway and College Avenue. Radar estimates indicate that a 2.5 to 3 inches accumulated in the area, resulting in the flash flooding.
October 2012Heavy RainGainesville-Two intersections in downtown Gainesville were closed due to road ponding caused by slow drainage. Around two inches of rain had fallen in around one hour.
August 2008HailGainesville-The public observed quarter-sized hail on the southwest and south side of Gainesville.
June 2007HailGainesville-The public observed nickel-sized hail along Interstate 985 and Georgia Highway 385 in northeast Hall county. Minor street flooding was also observed.
April 2006HailGainesville-The public reported penny-sized hail in the Gainesville area.
June 2006HailGainesville-An officer with the Hall County Sheriff's Department observed penny-sized hail on the north side of Gainesville.
May 2006HailGainesville-The public reported quarter-sized hail in the Flowery Branch area and penny to nickel-sized hail on the southwest side of Gainesville.
April 2005HailGainesville-The Hall County 911 Center reported penny-sized hail.
April 2005HailGainesville-The public reported penny-sized hail.
June 2005HailGainesville-The Hall County 911 Center observed golf ball-sized hail at the 911 center in downtown Gainesville. A spotter observed quarter to half-dollar-sized hail at the square in downtown Gainesville.
December 2004HailGainesville-Several reports were received from the public of nickel-sized hail in Gainesville, while the public reported quarter-sized hail 10 miles north of Gainesville. In Oakwood, just south of Gainesville, pea-sized hail fell, but collected up to one-half inch deep on the ground.
August 2003HailGainesville-The public reported penny-sized hail.
August 2003HailGainesville-The public reported penny-sized hail.
August 2003HailGainesville-The public reported penny-sized hail.
July 2003HailGainesville-Several reports of hail, ranging in size from pennies to quarters, were received from the public and the county 911 center. The public reported quarter-sized hail in Gainesville and penny-sized hail in Oakwood. The county 911 center reported nickel-sized hail in Gainesville. In one instance, along Browns Bridge Road on the west side of Gainesville, the hail was reported to have covered the ground several inches deep.
November 2002Thunderstorm WindGainesville-The Hall county Emergency Management Director reported pea size hail.
May 2002HailGainesville-The Hall county 911 center reported dime size hail.
April 2001HailGainesville-The Hall county 911 center reported dime size hail.
May 2001HailGainesville-Numerous reports were received from the public of half-dollar, golf ball, and baseball size hail. In addition, there were several reports of wall clouds and rotating wall clouds from Lake Lanier to Gainesville. While damage to roofs and vehicles likely occurred, damage estimates were not provided.
June 2001HailGainesville-The public reported quarter size hail in Gainesville and a storm spotter reported dime size hail in Clermont.
June 2001FloodGainesville-The Gainesville police reported that several streets were flooded in Gainesville.
July 2000HailGainesville-The public reported quarter size hail.
August 2000FloodGainesville-The public reported street flooding .

Every storm recorded in Hall County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

Listed places nearby

6 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Photograph PropertyDistance Listed
Jackson Buildingunder 500 feet1985
Logan Buildingunder 500 feet1990
Gainesville Commercial Historic Districtunder 500 feet2003
Hall County Courthouseunder 500 feet1995
Dixie Hunt Hotel0.1 miles1985
Bailey-Harper House-Doctors Building0.1 miles2006

Sources for this property

National Archives recordThe nomination case file for reference 74000684 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia articleCommunity-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Hall CountyAll 22 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

  • Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
  • Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
  • How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.