Owner: Privately Owned, currently for sale
History and Significance: When we think of wealthy northerners who came to Augusta in the early 20th century to build winter residences, the Summerville neighborhood was the location of a number of beautiful Coleridge · South Augusta cottages that financiers and industrialists built and called home to escape cold winters. For Arthur T. Cole, prominent Chicago resident and president of the “A.T. Cole Manufacturing Company, maker of the Cole Hot Blast Stoves,” his location of choice for building a new southern home in 1921 was not Summerville, but Windsor Spring Road near Tobacco Road in South Augusta. Cole’s home, which contains eight rooms, and four bedrooms, was designed by architect Willis Irvin. Cole initially planned to build a residence costing $100,000 and a garage at $20,000 to $30,000, all on 2,500 acres of mostly farm land. When the Augusta Chronicle announced the construction of Cole’s home, the writer noted that Cole was living in the garage, which was described as almost itself a “palatial residence,” while the main residence was constructed. But the main house was never built. Cole apparently named his new home “Coleridge” as descriptive of a unique geographic location of the home overlooking a ridge area facing east, which immediately descends into a deep wooded valley. It is interesting that another home had been built across Windsor Springs Road on another ridge, facing west, named “Seclusival” and belonging to the Clark family of the Windsor Spring Water Company. In fact, Cole had purchased property for his home from the Clarks. Cole lived year round with his family at Coleridge for over 20 years, entertaining guests in their very large living room with a massive mantel, while children enjoyed horseback riding and swimming on the estate. Cole sold his residence and property in 1946 to the Walter Golosky family, who renamed the home “Windsor Manor.” As their family residence, the Golosky family maintained Cole’s beautiful home through the years, but recently have decided to relocate and sell both home and property around 2010. It currently sits vacant.
Threat: Currently unoccupied and will deteriorate unless maintained.
Potential Uses: Single family residence, commercial use or retreat center owing to the building’s secluded location far back from Windsor Spring Road.
Preservation Tools: Eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, which if actually listed would make it eligible for all programs of the National Register, including available grant funds and the tax incentives for certified rehabilitations.