Established on December 18, 1984, the Historic Preservation Commission is a seven-member panel designated by the Mayor and City Council with the responsibility for oversight of preservation efforts in the city and educating property owners and the public at large regarding the protection, maintenance, and preservation of Dalton’s architectural and historic resources. This group reviews and approves applications for Certificates of Appropriateness for proposed rehabilitation, new construction and demolition within designated historic districts.

Design Review Guidelines: Decisions of the Historic Preservation Commission are founded upon the Design Review Guidelines. These guidelines focus on "preservation" rather than "complete restoration." The Guidelines provide to property owners the necessary information about respectful rehabilitation and new construction within the district and they provide the HPC with uniform standards on which to base design review decisions.

What is a Certificate of Appropriateness?

When planning a work project, an owner must submit a completed application for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA). Applications for Certificate of Appropriateness may be procured from the City Government's Preservation official. You may contact the Building Inspector's office at (706) 278-6936, located at 535 North Elm Street, Dalton, Georgia.

Deadline for application submittal is close of business ten days prior to the date of a regularly scheduled meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission, the second Thursday each month. All applications are then presented by the applicants to the Historic Preservation Commission. After review by the Commission, a Certificate of Appropriateness will be issued stating approval or disapproval of proposed changes.

The Design Review Guidelines serve two important purposes:

• To provide the Historic Preservation Commission with uniform standards on which to base design review decisions.
• To provide to property owners/applicants the necessary information about respectful rehabilitation and new construction within the historic district.

Begun in the 1840s and developed primarily between 1937 and 1941 when the local textile and chenille bedspread industry was growing, the Murray Hill-Thornton Avenue District has a wide range of building styles. The predominant exterior materials are brick and clapboard in traditional styles, such as Queen Anne, Tudor and Colonial Revival. This district is an excellent example of an historic resource that has character and a distinct "neighborhood feel" with mature landscaping and diverse neighbors.

The City of Dalton has been very insightful in encouraging the preservation of such resources and affording protection for property owners. The area was accepted for placement on the National Historic Places Register as a district in 1991. The Dalton Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) recommended the area for inclusion in the Local Historic District designation and it was so designated in 1996. Such designations provide protection for the area, maintaining its character and discouraging development that would adversely affect the area. The designation also offers property tax freezes and federal investment tax credit to property owners to encourage renovation.

McCARTY SUBDIVISION HISTORIC DISTRICT
7-5-2002 National Register Listing
12-18-2006 Local Historic District Designation

The McCarty Subdivision is one of the earliest planned residential subdivisions in Dalton.  The significant architectural types represented within the subdivision include bungalow, English cottage, Queen Anne house, Georgian house, and side-gabled cottage.  The significant architectural styles represented include Queen Anne, Craftsman, Colonial Revival, and English Vernacular Revival.