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Photograph of Rockdale County Jail
Photograph by Tim Farley, CC BY-SA 4.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Rockdale County Jail

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

From the record

“Rockdale County Jail is a historic building at 967 Milstead Ave. in Conyers, Georgia. It was built in 1897 and served as the jail for Rockdale County, Georgia from then until a new jail was built in 1968.”

Wikipedia article Rockdale County Jail, CC BY-SA 4.0.

One of 6 National Register listings published here for Rockdale County · listed in 1982 · category: Building.

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

The listing

  • What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 building as contributing to the listing.
  • Address. 967 Milstead Ave., Conyers, 30012
  • When was it listed? August 1982
  • Category. building
  • Census division. Conyers
  • National Register reference number. 82002462 - 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

280 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 280 fires within 5 miles of Rockdale County Jail between 1992 and 2020, burning about 622 acres in total. 10 started naturally. 68 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 burning81
Arson/incendiarism68
Misuse of fire by a minor38
Missing data/not specified/undetermined31
Equipment and vehicle use20
Recreation and ceremony16
Smoking14
Natural10
Railroad operations and maintenance2

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
8 September 1998Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreGeorgia Forestry Commissionnot named
8 September 1997Recreation and ceremonyunder an acreGeorgia Forestry Commissionnot named
5 September 2002Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreGeorgia Forestry CommissionFY2003-ROCKDALE-004
29 September 2003Smokingunder an acreGeorgia Forestry Commissionnot named
25 September 1998Railroad operations and maintenanceunder an acreGeorgia Forestry Commissionnot named
24 September 2019Arson/incendiarism1.7 acresGeorgia Forestry CommissionFY2020ROCKDALE002
24 September 2003Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreGeorgia Forestry Commissionnot named
24 September 1998Arson/incendiarismunder an acreGeorgia Forestry Commissionnot named

Every fire recorded in Rockdale County

Mines and quarries near this property

4 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 4 workings within 5 miles of Rockdale County Jail: 2 producers, 1 unknown, 1 past producer. 2 still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken, Granite. 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
Pine Mountain QuarryGranitePast Producer
Lithonia QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer
Lithonia QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenUnknown
Pine Mountain QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer

Every working recorded in Rockdale County

Storms near this property

60 of 75 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Conyers, the town this property stands in, in 75 storm reports between 1995 and 2025: 31 thunderstorm wind, 27 hail, 13 lightning, 2 funnel cloud. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. 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
March 2008HailConyers$5,000,000Amateur radio operators relayed reports of golf ball to baseball-sized hail across the northern half of Rockdale county. The baseball-sized hail was observed about three miles north of Conyers at the J. H. Elementary school and at several other locations across the northern portion of the county.
June 2007HailConyers$1,600,000Numerous reports of large hail, ranging in size from pennies to golf balls, were received from the public across Rockdale county from Conyers to the southern part of the county near the Henry county line. Golf ball-sized hail was reported in the city of Conyers.
February 2005HailConyers$550,000The public reported golf ball-sized hail.
March 2005LightningConyers$500,000The Macon Telegraph reported that lightning struck and set on fire a historic monestary. The building was built by Trappist Monks more than six decades ago. Three of the building's wings were completely destroyed by the ensuing fire and the fourth was damaged beyond repair. One firefighter suffered injuries while fighting the blaze.
January 2007Thunderstorm WindConyers$350,000The Rockdale Citizen of Conyers reported that extensive damage occurred to the Rockdale County Highschool and nearby areas. The roof of the press box was shattered and windows were broken in the stadium from high winds. The fence around the baseball field was crushed from a number of downed trees. Several cars in the parking lot were also damaged from trees blown down from thunderstorm winds. Another car was damaged from a downed tree down the street at the C. J. Hicks Elementary school. A number of trees were reported down throughout the county. The Rockdale County 911 Center reported that some of the worst damage was in the Deer Run Lake subdivision in the far south end of the county, southwest of Magnet, where a number of trees and power lines were down. The downed trees and power lines left around 2500 residents without power in the county and several hundred in neighboring Newton county. Damage to the highschool alone was estimated at $172,000.
June 2007LightningConyers$250,000The Rockdale Citizen reported that lightning struck and set on fire a detached garage to a home on Pleasant Hill Road. The garage contained several antique vehicles. The owner managed to get three of the vehicles out of the garage. The remaining vehicles and the garage itself were a total loss.
November 2002LightningConyers$250,000The Rockdale county Emergency Management Director reported that lightning struck a home in the northeast part of Rockdale county on Hightower Trail. The resulting fire completely destroyed the home and all of its contents.
March 2002LightningConyers$150,000A storm spotter reported that lightning struck a house and set it on fire. The house was fully engulfed in flames just a short time later. No injuries were reported.
July 2001LightningConyers$100,000The Rockdale Citizen reported that lightning struck a one-story, but rather large home, on Ebenezer Road. The resulting fire destroyed the bonus room and caused extensive damage to the remainder of the structure. The house was rendered unlivable. One firefighter suffered heat exhaustion and required medical treatment.
June 2007LightningConyers$50,000The Rockdale Citizen reported that lightning struck and set on fire a mobile home on Pine Lake Court in Lakeview Estates. The family of seven was able to escape without injury. However, the home and its contents were a total loss. The family dog also perished in the fire.
July 2005LightningConyers$50,000The Rockdale Citizen of Conyers reported that two structures were struck and set on fire by lightning. Damage was minor to moderate.
July 2000Thunderstorm WindConyers$50,000The Rockdale Citizen reported widespread tree damage across the northern part of the county. Trees were reported down on power lines, homes, and automobiles. Most of the damage occurred in the Bethel, Sheffield, Chandler, Fork, Mt Zion, Almond, and Day road areas near Conyers. A vehicle was severely damaged on Bethel Road, and falling trees damaged a boardwalk at Black Shoals Park. In addition, several power poles were broken, including some major poles at a sub-station.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindConyers$50,000Thunderstorm winds knocked over a concrete wall, damaging a building, ripping shingles from the front of the shopping center. Street lights were also damaged by the winds.
November 2002LightningConyers$40,000The Rockdale county Emergency Manager reported that lightning struck a home in southwest Rockdale county setting the attic on fire. The fire caused considerable damage to the home.
May 2003LightningConyers$25,000The Rockdale-Citizen of Conyers reported that lightning struck a home on Miller Bottom Road setting the home on fire. Fire investigators determined that the fire started in the crawl space of the home as the lightning arced over from an iron sewer line to a copper gas line. The lone resident of the house, a 95-year old female (whose 96-year birthday was the next day) was unable to make it to an exit before being overcome of smoke inhalation and subsequently died.
July 2000LightningConyers$25,000The Rockdale Citizen reported that lightning struck a large storage shed in the 2000 block of Georgia Highway 20, just north of Rockdale Drive.
July 2012LightningConyers$20,000The Rockdale County 911 Center reported that four lightning fires had been put out at houses in the Conyers area. Only minor damage was reported with each.
February 1999LightningConyers$20,000A lightning strike entered the basement of a house on Reagan Circle, setting a fire. There was extensive smoke damage. One occupant was taken to the hospital, suffering from smoke inhalation.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindConyers$20,000Rockdale county 911 reported a roof was blown off a building. Several trees were also blown down across the county.
April 2016Thunderstorm WindConyers$12,000The Rockdale County 911 center reported several power lines blown down at the corner of Klondike Road and Smyrna Road and trees blown down in the Brandy Shoals area on State Highway 20 south of Conyers.
May 1995Thunderstorm WindConyers$10,000Thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous tree limbs across the county particularly 10 miles south of Conyers where a home was damaged, eight miles south of Conyers along Union Church Road where several limbs were on the ground, four homes and one store sustained damage in the county.
May 2020Thunderstorm WindConyers$5,000The Rockdale County Emergency Manager reported several trees blown down on Ebenezer Road, just south of Johnson Park.
February 2001Thunderstorm WindConyers$5,000A storm spotter reported that power lines and trees were blown down in Conyers. A local sheriff reported seeing a tornado in the area, but there was no confirmation of a tornado touchdown.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindConyers$5,000The public reported trees down and shingles blown off a house in the southern part of the county.
July 2021Thunderstorm WindConyers$4,000The Rockdale County 911 center reported a few trees blown down from the south side of Conyers to just west of the Big Haynes Creek Park.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindConyers$3,000Emergency manager reported trees down along Rowan Road SW.
May 1998HailConyers$3,000Dime size to golf ball size hail was reported in Conyers. At least 1 car was dented and had its windshield broken. A large tree was also blown across a road.
June 1996HailConyers$3,000no account filed
March 2025Thunderstorm WindConyers$2,000One to two trees down along briar creek court ne.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindConyers$2,000Emergency manager reported trees down on Malcolm St in Conyers.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindConyers$2,000Emergency manager reported a tree and powerlines down along Glenhaven Ct.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindConyers$2,000The Rockdale County 911 Center reported that several trees were blown down.
May 2003Thunderstorm WindConyers$2,000The Rockdale county 911 center reported that some trees and power lines were down.
June 2002Thunderstorm WindConyers$2,000The Rockdale county 911 center reported that some trees were down.
July 1995Thunderstorm WindConyers$2,000Thunderstorm winds knocked several trees down on top of cars. Several power lines were knocked down by falling limbs in the same area.
February 1997Thunderstorm WindConyers$1,500no account filed
March 2025Thunderstorm WindConyers$1,000Tree and powerline down at the intersection of flat shoals road sw and revel cove drive sw.
April 2025Thunderstorm WindConyers$1,000A tree fell across woodstone cove se and blocked the roadway.
June 2023Thunderstorm WindConyers$1,000Emergency manager reported a tree down on Cooper Cir NW in Conyers.
April 2005Thunderstorm WindConyers$1,000The Rockdale County 911 Center reported that several trees were down in the far southeast part of the county near the Newton County line along Interstate-20, and Pleasant Hill Road, Hamel Court, and Willow Court.
May 2003Thunderstorm WindConyers$1,000The public reported trees down in Conyers and also at the intersection of Georgia Highway 20 and Zingara Road.
August 2005Thunderstorm WindConyers$500The Rockdale County 911 Center reported that a couple of trees had been blown down.
July 2001Thunderstorm WindConyers$500The Rockdale county 911 center reported that two trees were down in town and the fire station reported that there were other trees with broken limbs.
April 1997Thunderstorm WindConyers$500no account filed
March 1996Thunderstorm WindConyers$300no account filed
July 2022Thunderstorm WindConyers-Report of a tree down at Revel Cove Dr and Lancaster Creek Cir.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindConyers-Report of roof damage to complex at Willie James Dr and Ebenezer Rd.
July 2022Thunderstorm WindConyers-Report of 5 trees down in the vicinity of Klondike Rd SW and Smyrna Rd SW.
April 2019Flash FloodConyers-Trained spotter reported that Boar Tusk Branch had swollen out of its banks due to runoff from heavy rainfall over the area. Water was covering the roadways on Eastview Road and Norton Road as a result. Radar estimates indicate three to four inches of rainfall had occurred over the area in a short period of time.
July 2013HailConyers-The public reported quarter sized hail west of Conyers on Interstate 20.
April 2009HailConyers-The public observed nickel-sized hail in the Conyers area.
March 2008Funnel CloudConyers-A trained storm spotter observed a funnel cloud near the intersection of Georgia Highway 138 and Georgia Highway 212 in western Rockdale county, southwest of Conyers.
May 2008HailConyers-The Rockdale County 911 Center relayed reports of penny-sized hail from southern Rockdale county, generally from near Union Springs along the Henry county line to about six miles southwest of Conyers. Radar supported that the hail continued into the southern part of Conyers.
July 2006HailConyers-The Rockdale County Emergency Management Director observed penny to nickel-sized hail northwest of Conyers near Lake Capri.
February 2005HailConyers-The public reported quarter-sized hail.
April 2005HailConyers-The public reported nickel-sized hail.
May 2003Flash FloodConyers-The public reported that significant flooding was occurring in Conyers near the Rockdale hospital. Four feet of water was flowing over Norton Road.
May 2003HailConyers-An amateur radio operator reported quarter-sized hail.
April 2002Funnel CloudConyers-The public reported a funnel cloud in the Conyers area. This was consistent with earlier reports from Gwinnett and Fulton counties and WSR-88D Doppler velocity data. This storm was a well tracked and long lived supercell type thunderstorm.
June 2002HailConyers-The Rockdale county 911 center reported nickel size hail.

Every storm recorded in Rockdale 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

5 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
Conyers Commercial Historic Districtunder 500 feet1988
Conyers Residential Historic District0.2 miles1990
Almand-O'Kelley-Walker House0.3 miles1998
Dial Mill6.7 miles1978
Aaron and Margaret Parker Jr. House7.8 miles2009

Sources for this property

National Archives recordThe nomination case file for reference 82002462 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia articleCommunity-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Rockdale CountyAll 6 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.