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The country manor and its grounds
The Colonels is a stately 8000 sq ft country manor, adorned by four magnificent antebellum cypress portico columns, and surrounded by pastoral, open landscaping with several magnolias, century-old pecan trees, red cedars and water oaks.
The design of the main house of The Colonels was clearly modeled after president Theodore Roosevelt’s mother’s Greek Revival family house in Roswell, Georgia, also known as Bulloch Hall, built in 1839 (just like the Georgia House, representing the State at the 1907 Jamestown Exposition, now at the Admiral's Row at the Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia).
The main house, the cottage and outbuildings are sitting on their own 30 acres+ grounds in a general setting of hundreds of acres of open land, partially set aside for future generations by the State of Georgia and Clarke County. In its long life time the dwelling, like all old houses of the South, has undergone a number of restorations, additions and uses. It is today in conceived as a gentleman's horse farm.
The Colonels was originally built in the 1860’s as a traditional ‘two over two’ farm house.
The original home consisted of the sitting parlor, a gathering room and the two Antebellum bedrooms upstairs.
Antebellum Room (Queen size bed)
Drawing Room - morning Breakfast Room
These antique rooms still feature the original doors, woodwork and heart of pine floors with finished moldings and an early federal but still elaborate mantel in what was once the parlor room of the farm.
This configuration was lovingly preserved as the substratum for all later adaptations and additions.
As the 'four-over-four' houses on Prince Avenue and South Milledge Avenue were build in the early 20th century , the planter on Barnett Shoals Road decided that the time was now ripe to create his version of a 'four-over-four' house as he doubled the ground plan of the country manor. Two grand French doors were added on each flank of the first floor, one side overlooking the sunken garden and the other a small elegant pool (pool is currently not accessible to guests).
Much later, in the seventies, a wonderfully designed country kitchen, entirely in hand hewn pine and with its hand built stone wood burning fireplace was added.
The most recent addition upstairs was completed at the dawn of this century and consists of energy efficient guest suites, high ceilings, thermo pane windows, ceiling fans in all bedrooms, access to internet, cable, data and phone lines.
In one of the upstairs bedrooms one still can notice the brick of the original 1860’s chimney, the black stains on the brick being the tar used to secure the original roof.
The grand bath at the end of the upstairs hallway offering an oversized whirlpool tub behind the frosted glassed French doors was designed to enjoy the beautiful sunset views over Angel Oaks Farm and is now available in a suite package.
The latest renovation of The Colonels in the early years of the 21st century has been one with safety, security, efficiency, yet historical preservation in mind.
All mechanical systems and structures have been re-engineered and most fireplaces, although still displaying original wood and brick work, now feature functioning gas logs which guests can enjoy without the safety concerns often encountered in the old houses of the South.
A special feature of The Colonels is the terrace sunken garden with its beautiful brickwork and flowers, a view that can be enjoyed from within, from the upstairs bedroom windows or from the balcony of the grand music room.
The current owners equipped and decorated all rooms of The Colonels with European antique furniture, chandeliers, oriental rugs and tapestries from an old Imperial Hapsburg Chateau in Belgium♥, creating an upscale, distinguished and pleasant environment in 'the French Manor style'♣.
The Bohemian crystal glass work was individually commissioned in Bohemia by the owners and brought over after dedicated crafting and engraving.
French chateau silverware is presented for special occasions or packages.
♥ Chateau Salmonsart is pictured on a separate webpage:
https://sites.google.com/site/athensthecolonels/the-country-manor-and-its-grounds/chateau-salmonsart
♣ Gayot Food & Wine critic quotation
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