For three entrepreneurial investors, restoring this decrepit 19th-century home was a labor of love. The amazing mansion, once a decaying relic of yesteryear, has been lovingly rebuilt, restoring its role as a local icon of Milledgeville, Georgia. You won’t believe the metamorphosis of Abandoned Southeast before and after it was photographed by Leland Kent. Click or scroll down to witness the astonishing transformation…
Forlorn and forgotten
Rockwell Mansion was concealed by overgrown foliage and secured behind imposing wrought-iron gates when photographed in 2017. Colonel Samuel Rockwell, a soldier, attorney, and slaveholder, built the enigmatic abandoned home in 1838. Built in the Federal style with Greek Revival features by architect Joseph Lane, its steep stairs and huge Ionic columns are reminiscent of a great ancient Greek temple.
Faded grandeur
Colonel Rockwell died in 1841, and the home passed to Democratic Party leader Herschel Vespasian Johnson, who later became Governor of Georgia. Once Johnson died, the home moved through the hands of a number of businessmen. Marshall Bland, an insurance dealer, bought the property in 1904 and sold it to his cousin, Oscar Ennis, who resided there with his family until 1962.
New beginnings
Rockwell Mansion has fallen into decay after 70 years of uninhabited neglect. Three young investors saw the potential in this interesting old structure and took on the challenge of restoring the fading southern belle to her former grandeur. In 2019, Ross Sheppard, Jacob Hawkins, and Will Walker paid $350,000 (£254k) for the property. The three are Georgia natives with a love of old homes, with Sheppard working as a realtor specializing in historic home preservation.
Before: the gates and exterior
Throughout the renovation, the crew was also assisted by Preservation South’s property conservation specialist Kyle Campbell. While bringing the desolate home back to life was no easy undertaking, the benefits were many. During the renovation, members of the Ennis family visited their old house, including Buddy Ennis, who spent the first 15 years of his life there. Buddy aided in the discovery of his childhood footprint, which was sealed in concrete on the back stairs.
After: the gates and exterior
The renovated mansion, as seen here in February 2021, is stunning. The cheerful yellow color is true to the building’s original façade, with vestiges of the shade visible beneath subsequent coats of paint. Ochre is a natural pigment made up of iron oxide, clay, and sand that ranges in color from yellow to deep orange or brown. The investors created this stunning unique tint for the home using paint analysis and historical information.
Before: the entryway
Here’s how the entry hall looked before the refurbishment. Although old, it was one of the better-preserved portions, with elaborate moldings and a sweeping spiral staircase taking center stage. The massive exterior double doors of the main entry are ringed by the patterned glass, allowing light to spill into the area.
After: the entryway
Before the remodeling, this is how the entry hall looked. It was one of the better-preserved rooms, despite its antiquity, with beautiful moldings and a sweeping spiral staircase taking center stage. The main entrance’s enormous exterior double doors are encircled by the patterned glass, allowing light to spill into the area.
Before: the grand sitting room
This basement sitting room, before the renovation, gives a good sense of the mansion’s enormous proportions. The attention is drawn to the deep alcoves, lofty windows, elaborate molding, and massive fireplace with carved Greek-style columns. These excellent architectural elements even manage to distract from the cracking plaster on the ceiling.
Before: the grand sitting room
Large sash windows are a key design element throughout the home, but notably in this sitting room before the refurbishment. The original wood frames had been covered with white vinyl by the time the investors purchased the property. Fortunately, all of the original sashes had been saved, so the majority of them could be repaired. The shutters are being restored to their former beauty; traditionally, they were painted a rich green color known as Charleston green.
After: the grand sitting room
The remodeled room has been sensitively restored while keeping all of its fantastic original characteristics. The aesthetic is completed with a scattering of modern furniture, artwork, and a grand piano. Visitors should not be startled if the piano begins to play itself, since it is a digitally controlled pianolet!
After: the lounge
However, this restored sitting area, replete with comforting blue-green walls – a vast cry from the barren space before – evokes warmth. The mansion’s initial floor layout included eight large rooms split across two stories, but renovations and remodeling have resulted in 14 calm spaces to enjoy.
Before: the dining room
The dining room was formerly a shell of its former self. When the home deteriorated, the Winterthur Museum in Delaware stepped in to purchase the room’s historic elements in order to preserve them. The museum bought the black marble mantelpiece, ornate woodwork, architrave, and plaster imprints surrounding the ceiling.
After: the dining room
Consider how the dingy area has been turned into a bright and airy modern dining room that complements the old characteristics. Not to mention the concealed original fireplace unearthed during the makeover – vinyl flooring was also removed in other areas to reveal stunning, original wooden floors.
After: the dining room
The rehabilitation was extensive, requiring the installation of new electrical, plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning systems. Skilled decorators meticulously replicated lost architectural aspects while finishing the original wood flooring, patching damaged plaster walls, and repairing intricate plaster detailing. The restoration work has to adhere to the stringent Standards for Historic Protection established by law.
Before: spiral staircase
Rockwell House, as seen before the remodeling, features a unique round, spiral stairway. It might be a replica of the ‘chaperone staircase’ featured in several high-society residences during this time period. They offered a view position for chaperones of young men and ladies socializing on the ground level, allowing guardians to keep a close check on their charges and ensure no scandalous behavior occurred in the home!
After: spiral staircase
With the carved balustrades and beautifully patterned woodwork restored and the peeling paintwork repaired, the grandeur of this showpiece staircase can now be appreciated. Indeed, the artistry required in building this mansion is impressive, with each piece of lumber hand-cut. The construction was constructed utilizing a notch-and-peg technique, which means that nails were used only on the outer weatherboarding and internal slats holding plaster.
Before: the upper floor
Before the refurbishment, here is the upper landing, which nicely replicates the arrangement and design of the regal entry foyer below. It was a touch worn, like that room, though the leaded glass arch bordering the balcony doors has held up fairly well over the years.
After: the upper floor
The landing has been painstakingly renovated while remaining true to its original design. Yet, the top floor was not always so elegant. Dr. Robert Watson purchased the mansion in 1967 and began restoring it. Nevertheless, disaster struck the mansion when one of the employees began stripping paint off the timber house’s walls with a blow torch. The upstairs section of the home, predictably, caught fire.
Before: the master bedroom
This chamber demonstrates the extent of the devastation. Water damage later exacerbated the situation. The ancient home almost didn’t make it beyond the early 1970s. Following the fire, a local guy desired to purchase the home and demolish its surviving magnificent interior decorations. Fortunately, realtors Joanne and Cecil Ogden intervened to preserve the house. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, but restorations were halted and the property deteriorated.
After: the master bedroom
Fortunately, our three investors were able to turn the desolate landmark’s fortunes around. Wow an incredible turnaround! Mr. Woodrow, a talented local mason, assisted in restoring the wrecked chamber as well as many other aspects of the home. The Green Suite, at the top of the spiral staircase, has a king-sized bed, a sitting space, and a private bathroom with a large shower.
After: the master bedroom
Several of the bedrooms now feature elegant contemporary bathrooms. Unfortunately, most of the ornate cornicing and plasterwork surrounding the entrances had worn away over time. During the renovation, however, remaining mouldings in the dining room were scanned, 3D printed, and recreated in other rooms of the house – a revolutionary example of contemporary technology resurrecting historical architectural elements!
After: the pink bedroom
The inviting Pink Suite is nestled away above the back stairway on the first floor. Its colorful coral walls appear to vary as the light levels fluctuate throughout the day. The bright color is offset by traditional carved wooden furnishings and a beautiful four-poster bed.
After: the Blue Room
The Blue Room, a one-room suite with its own private sitting space, is lined with gorgeous floor-to-ceiling sash windows. Luxury contemporary elements have been blended with respect for the space’s historic architecture and details, as in the other bedrooms. With that opulent king-sized bed, how could you not enjoy a good night’s sleep?
Before: the garden
The overgrown grounds had been largely recovered by Mother Nature prior to the estate’s refurbishment. Local tales abound about the home, and one myth claims that a gold trove is hidden beneath the foundations on the grounds. Colonel Rockwell or perhaps Governor Johnson may easily be seen stashing gold bars behind one of the Ionic columns…
After: the garden
While it does not appear that a hidden cache of gold was discovered during the process, the natural beauty of the land was. The investors have straightened up the overgrowth and planted the green grounds, as shown above following the renovation, while keeping the 12-acre garden’s forest of old oak and magnolia trees.
A triumphant transformation
There’s no denying that this historic home renovation was a smashing success. You can now experience a great old chunk of Deep South history for yourself by renting it through Airbnb for overnight stays, weddings, and celebrations. Check out the mansion’s website and follow the restoration effort on Facebook to learn more about this wonderfully restored landmark.