Cobb County Government
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The area that is now Cobb County was once a part of the Cherokee and Creek Nations. In 1832, the State Legislature passed an act creating Cobb County. This area has diverse collection of historic sites that date from prehistoric times to the modern era. Ancient Indian sites, Civil War battle fortifications, the earliest industrial sites and rural farmhouses are among Cobb’s precious cultural legacy.

Cobb County has been of the fastest growing counties in the State of Georgia. Because of growth, the county faced the challenge of preserving its rich past, while accommodating the demand for new development. Cobb answered the problem by creating an historic preservation ordinance.

 

 

Cobb County Historic Preservation Commission

Read more about the Cobb County Historic Preservation Commission

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The first major step taken by Cobb County toward protecting its past was the passage of a countywide historic preservation ordinance in 1984. This ordinance was the first of its kind in Georgia. The ordinance established the Cobb County Historic Preservation Commission, known as CCHPC. Read the Cobb County Historic Preservation Ordinance.

The preservation commission is made up of five county residents who are appointed by the Board of Commissioners. Members of the preservation commission have keen interest and knowledge that qualify them to recommend specific buildings, districts, sites, structures or works of art to receive historical designation. They make recommendations to the Board of Commissioners.

Designating History

The Historic Preservation Commission can nominate historic properties and cultural resources to the National Register of Historic Places. These nominations are made to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Historic Preservation Division (HPD) for consideration. Once the nominations are complete and acceptable to HPD, they are forwarded to the National Park Service for final approval and listing in the official National Register. If an income-producing property is listed in the National Register, it could be eligible for federal tax credits. Properties that are listed in the National Register must be considered during projects that use federal money or require a federal permit.

The Historic Preservation Commission can also recommend sites to be listed in the Cobb County Register of Historic Places. The Cobb Register is the county’s list of designated historic landmarks and districts. The Cobb County Board of Commissioners has the final authority to approve the potential sites and decide whether or not they will be added to the Cobb Register.

To nominate a historic property to the Cobb County Register of Historic Places, complete and submit the nomination form.

In 1992, the county adopted a landmark historic property tax abatement program. Properties that are listed in the National Register and the Cobb Register may qualify for an eight-year tax assessment freeze.

Certifying History

certifying historyAfter a site has been locally designated to the Cobb Register, the owner must obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for any “material” changes to the exterior of the building or site.

The COA is obtained from the Historic Preservation Commission. During the certificate process, the determinations made by the HPC may be appealed to the Board of Commissioners. Owners can appeal the board’s decision to the Cobb Superior Court.

Cobb County Register of Historic Places (CCRHP)

Cobb County has a historic preservation ordinance that allows the county to designate properties as historic and list them in the Cobb County Register of Historic Places. These districts, buildings or sites should: (1) have special character or special historic or aesthetic value or interest; (2) be an outstanding example of a structure representative of its era; (3) be one of the few remaining examples of past architectural style; or (4) be a place or structure associated with an event or person of historic or cultural significance to the county, the state or the region.

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Sites to Behold

gis historic driving tour imageIn Cobb County, there are 41 sites and 13 districts that are listed in the National Register and/or the Cobb Register. These include Zion Baptist Church, which dates back to 1866 and is the oldest black Baptist Church building in the county and “The General,” the famed locomotive house in the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History in Kennesaw. Another of the county’s historic sites is the Andrew J. Cheney-Newcomer House. This Greek Revival house was built around 1856 and survived the Civil War due to its use by Federal troops as a headquarters building.

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Historic Preservation Projects

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The Cobb County Historic Preservation Commission has recently been and is currently involved with three major projects that highlight Cobb County’s rich historic resources. These are the Historic Marker Program, Historic Resources Survey and Historic Driving Tour Brochure.

Cemetery Preservation Commission

Burial places, in particular cemeteries, are the most visible public remains of a community’s history. As public documents of human occupation, cemeteries serve as records of a community’s roots. They not only embody the community’s history but also are proof of its member’s pride of place. They provide evidence of the struggles to continue on in the face of adversity from generation to generation.

The communities that truly values its heritage will make a strong fight to ensure its future.

Learn About the Cemetery Preservation Commission.