Georgia added two new listings to the National Register of Historic Places, according to a May 5 announcement from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. The additions include Euharlee Elementary School in Rockmart, Polk County, and First Federal Savings and Loan Association Headquarters in Savannah, Chatham County.
The recognition highlights Georgia’s ongoing efforts to preserve its historic heritage. The Department of Community Affairs said these nominations are part of its mission to build strong communities and promote public awareness about the importance of historic resources.
Euharlee Elementary School was constructed in 1943 as a Colonial Revival-style consolidated public school near the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. According to the department, much of its original interior remains intact. It served as Rockmart’s only publicly-funded elementary school for white children during its historic period. A cafeteria and kitchen were added in 1957, reflecting continued investment in education at that time. The building is now being rehabilitated for use as senior housing with tax incentives supporting this effort. The nomination was sponsored by Northwest Georgia Housing Authority with materials prepared by Ray, Ellis & LaBrie Consulting, LLC.
First Federal Savings and Loan Association Headquarters was built in downtown Savannah in 1961 as headquarters for what was then the area’s largest savings and loan institution. Its International Style design by architects Levy and Kiley features asymmetry, smooth surfaces, ribbon windows, polished concrete panels on the exterior, cantilevered awnings with ceramic tile columns, and an open lobby inside finished with terrazzo and walnut paneling. Office spaces have since been converted into hotel rooms following rehabilitation work supported by M/A Capital Ventures – Savannah LLC; nomination materials were prepared by Ward Architecture + Preservation.
As of May 5 there are now 2,238 listings comprising more than ninety-one thousand resources from across Georgia included on the National Register.
The Department’s Historic Preservation Division oversees environmental review programs along with grants administration, resource surveys, tax incentive programs for preservation projects like these recent listings—and provides community assistance throughout Georgia.