A Brief
History
Welcome to the Windsor Hotel. Built in 1892, to attract
winter visitors from the north, the Windsor was a 100-room, five story Victorian structure
complete with towers, balconies, and a three story open atrium lobby. It occupies nearly
an entire city block, and was the site of numerous balls and celebrations. As famous as
the structure is, are the visitors who have graced its halls. The Windsor closed its doors
in the early 1970s, but recently underwent a $5.8 million restoration which returned the
historic structure to its original grandeur. Its grand opening celebration was attended by
former President and First Lady Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter as well as many former guests
who returned to the old hotel to relive its good old days. Visitors, now, can stay in any
of 53 period style rooms with all-modern amenities. No rooms in the Windsor are exactly
the same, so each room has its own warmth and style.
1888: The Beginning
On August 22, 1888, a reporter for the Americus
Recorder found John Sheffield and Ross Harper measuring off the courthouse square,
which was bounded by Lee, Lamar, Jackson, and Forsyth Streets. Upon inquiring as to their
purpose, young Mr. Sheffield responded, "because Major Moses Speer and Papa told me
to".
Realizing
he’d best go to the source, the reporter went to the Bank of Southwestern Georgia
(now the Thomas Block, northwest corner of Forsyth and Jackson Streets) to see its
President, Major Moses Speer. There, Major Speer told him, "The hotel will be built
and in short order. There is no doubt about that… it will be a building worthy of the
city. It will be built by a syndicate…." Two days later, Major Speer sent John
Sheffield’s map off to some undisclosed prospective investors. Such was the
Windsor’s genesis, the little acorn from which a mighty oak would grow.
In the following month, two Atlanta
architects, W.H. Parkins and G.L. Norrman, submitted proposals. The selection committee of
S.H. Hawkins, John Windsor, and C.M. Wheatley opted for Parkins’ design, on March 21st.
It consisted of a four-story, square, wooden building with 120 rooms, fronting the entire
length of Jackson Street, between Lamar and Forsyth, with an additional two stories on the
corner.
Undeterred, G.L. Norrman submitted his
design "of a more fanciful character, greatly resembling the Hotel Alcazar at St.
Augustine" (now Ripley’s Believe It or Not?). His brick edifice, of three
and five stories in height, with 100 rooms and ten stores on the street level, was felt to
be the most attractive by several members of the corporation. Consequently, Norrman’s
proposal was adopted, over Parkins’ design, on April 17th, at an estimated
cost of $80,000 (actual cost was closer to $150,000). The original 1890 architect’s
etching is located just outside the Grand Dining Room and was a gift from Howard
Dayton’s widow.
On June 21st, the Americus
Manufacturers and Improvement Company (AMIC) accepted the construction bid of James Smith
of Sparta, who had already successfully bid on the city hall and improvements to the
former Furlow Masonic Female College serving as one of Americus' two public schools. Both
of these projects were also designed by Norrman. By August, Mr. Smith had secured from
Andrew J. Hamil the use of a brickyard near Magnolia Dell, just beyond the intersection of
Church and Spring Streets, which would produce all the hotel’s building material;
construction began in earnest in September, 1890. By April, 1891, the work was half
completed. About noon on October 22, 1891, the last brick was laid completing the masonry
work. Emphasis then shifted to the interior. The Americus Furniture Company won the
contract for furnishing the hotel, but that job ultimately fell to M. Rich and Brothers of
Atlanta, progenitors of present-day Rich’s Department Stores. Elevators were
installed during the 1891 Christmas season. In 1892, The Windsor was the only hotel in
Georgia to use individualized silverware. Each piece was supplied by local jeweler James
Fricker and Brother. There were also individual silver pieces such as soup tureens, coffee
pots, and tea services, each having two sugar dishes, one for loaf and one for pulverized
sugar. John Windsor, the hotel’s namesake, also donated a silver tea service for the
grand opening, which is presently on display at the Lee Council House, on Church Street,
here in Americus.
The Grand Opening transpired on June 16,
1892. Thousands attended the opening and over 100 guests registered the first day. A Grand
Ball lasted until well after midnight in the fifth-floor ballroom. The city’s
electric railway on the hotel’s west side was revived for the summer (Americus
Electric Car #2 is now on display at Lake Blackshear Regional Library on Lamar Street).
In her time, the Windsor had such
noteworthy guests as John L. Sullivan, former heavy-weight boxing champion who, in April,
1893, was performing in his play, "The Man From Boston," at Glover’s Opera
House (now Dixie Bakery on Forsyth Street). Two months later, Congressman William Jennings
Bryan, three-time Democratic presidential nominee, enjoyed the Windsor’s charm while
he met with US House Speaker Charles F. Crisp of Americus. In February, 1896, Eugene V.
Debs, American labor leader, came to Americus for a speech at City Hall and stayed in the
Windsor. The Governor of New York and soon-to-be President Franklin D. Roosevelt, in
February, 1928, spoke at a Chamber of Commerce dinner while a guest of the hotel.
Although prospects for the Windsor
appeared to be rosy, such was not the case. A nation-wide economic depression in 1893 put
a serious dent in the tourist trade, the hotel’s reason for being. By the end of the
decade bankruptcy was declared, and the AMIC lost their investments. On September 5, 1899,
Charles A. Fricker, the jeweler, bought the Windsor for $40,000 at public
sale. In September, 1910, the hotel was completely
renovated with electric lights, new elevators,
telephones, and steam heat, at a cost of $75,000.
Numerous smaller scale renovations occurred over the
following decades, but the Windsor never regained her
full, Victorian-era glory. In the 1930’s the property
was again sold. This time to Mr. Howard Dayton, of
Daytona Beach, Florida. Mr. Dayton owned a number of
hotels in Florida and South Georgia and kept the
Windsor in operation for another four decades.
Finally, in August, 1974, having operated for some
time as apartments, the hotel closed her doors after
82 years.
What’s
in a name?
Originally, the founders had decided on
"The Alhambra," as a name that would lend an international flavor to the resort.
However, this struck a discordant note in the community. Consequently, the hotel was named
for John Windsor. As one of the leading capitalists in Americus and one of the ten
incorporates of the new resort hotel, it seemed fitting to use the Windsor name. The
community agreed that "The Windsor" was more suggestive of those aristocratic
qualities to which Americus aspired.
 John T. Windsor, 1847-1930John
T. Windsor was born April 24, 1847, on a farm in Webster county, one of 13 children to
Alexander and Harriet Terry Windsor. He later attributed growing up in such an environment
to developing the habits of industry and economy that made him a successful capitalist.
The road from
farm boy to financier was a fairly smooth one. As a 17-year-old Webster Countian, John
Windsor joined the Confederate army as a private in Company F, Third Georgia Reserves, was
quickly promoted to commisionary sergeant and served in that capacity until the end of the
war.
In the summer
of 1866 he moved to Americus and joined the Bethel Baptist Church (now First Baptist
Church) on August 31st of that year. He would remain a valued member of that
congregation for more than four decades.
John T.
Windsor’s business career began as a clerk in the dry goods store of Jowers and Usry.
Then, in the late 1860s, he and Robert T. Byrd, under the firm name Byrd and Windsor,
briefly ran a dry goods emporium in the building constructed by the former partner in 1867
and still standing at the northwest corner of Jackson and Lamar streets. By 1870, he had
joined Harold, Johnson and Company, the largest mercantile
establishment in Americus as their field agent for the surrounding counties.
On April 24,
1870, John Windsor married Emily Amelia Lester, daughter of Alfred J. and Amelia Barlow
Lester. The entire family resided on a farm located on the southeast corner of Rees Park.
The home became the younger couple’s inheritance upon the death of A.J. Lester in
1874 and survives to this day as Aldridge Funeral Services.
Within three
years he acquired control of Dr. William W. Barlow’s considerable estate, as the
nephew by marriage. In 1880, John Windsor was elected cashier of the Bank of Americus and
held that position for six years, steadily building his reputation for financial acumen.
He then parlayed that reputation into the presidency of the new Peoples National Bank
midway between Jackson and Forrest Streets. After a year, he resigned to accept the
position of cashier, so as to be in more active control of its business. Under his
leadership it was regarded as one of the soundest financial institutions in Georgia. It
was remarked that at no time in his life had he owed an amount he could not cash.
Whatever
happened to John T. Windsor? During the first decade of the twentieth century, the
Windsors left Americus to move to Havana, Cuba. Eventually they settled in Winter Haven,
Florida, where John Windsor died and was buried on April 20, 1930, several months after
his beloved Amelia had passed away.
Resetting the Jewel
Sumter County had lost its biggest
industry. Downtown Americus was dying. The Windsor Hotel, once the crown jewel of South
Georgia, had only pigeons for guests. With its broken gutters, peeling paint, and falling
plaster, this grand hotel had become downtown’s "white elephant."
The Windsor Hotel was donated to the City
of Americus in 1978 by the Howard Dayton family. The challenge facing in-coming Mayor
Russell Thomas, Jr. in 1980 was two-fold: either demolish the hotel and use the lot for
parking or restore the building. The community was overwhelmingly in favor of restoring
the hotel, making it the centerpiece for downtown revitalization.
Mayor Thomas hired Jo Childers, to
spearhead the revitalization of downtown Americus, soon after he became mayor. The Georgia
Department of Community Affairs (DCA) certified the Americus Main Street Program the next
year, and Mrs. Childers became its project manager.
Because it was such a big project,
downtown merchants were urged to begin the revitalization effort by rehabilitating their
own storefronts. This, they did. Meanwhile Mayor Thomas began to explore ways to organize
a public-private partnership for the management of the hotel building restoration project.
Main Street Managers Meet
In 1982, Mrs. Childers had vowed not to
host a meeting of the Georgia Main Street Managers until the meeting could be held at the
Windsor. Nine years later, the new Windsor Hotel was unveiled in September, 1991. A few
months after the grand re-opening, the spring meeting of the Georgia Main Street Managers
was held in the hotel. During the meeting, Mrs. Childers introduced Mayor Thomas, who
recounted the Windsor story. Beginning with a brief recapitulation of the $5.8 million
preservation undertaking.
Public
Contributions: In 1978,
Mayor Thomas’ predecessor had received a $31,537 grant from the US Department of
Interior through the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Office of Historic
Preservation. Those funds were used for preservation planning. In 1979, another grant for
$81,350 was secured for the stabilization of the building and masonry work.
In 1980, the first year Thomas served as
mayor, the APDC (now the Regional Development Center) completed a $75,000 preservation
study. Three years later, the city of Americus received a $12,412 federal grant for roof
repairs. Stabilizing the building and stopping roof leaks effectively put the building in
moth balls until the construction could begin.
Because the City of Americus owned the
building, inmate labor could be used in its renovation. An estimated $400,000 was saved
because inmate labor did extensive demolition work and removed most of the old plaster
from interior walls. Sumter County volunteered its trucks for some of the hauling. In
1984, the City of Americus appropriated $107,000 from its general fund for masonry repair
and painting.
In 1987, Americus received a $400,000
Community Development Block Grant through the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
These funds were used for the replacement of the Windsor roof and renovation of areas of
the building for a senior citizen center.
The Private Sector: In 1986, twenty-three private
citizens, who were committed to the hotel restoration, pledged $5,000 each to the Windsor
Development Corporation. This newly-created corporation in turn negotiated an option with
the City of Americus for certain property rights in the hotel building. The Windsor
Development Corporation paid many of the professional fees for work by architects,
engineers, lawyers, and accountants.
Three years later the Windsor Hotel
Limited Partnership was formed. With a minimum investment of $1,000, some 160 Americus
citizens raised $1.8 million for equity capital. Next they negotiated a long-term lease of
the hotel property with the City of Americus. Then they borrowed a total of $2.3 million
from three local banks. Finally, the partnership secured a $500,000 second mortgage from
the City of Americus, which came from a special one mil property tax that was earmarked
for the Windsor Hotel.
Local merchants and other friends of
downtown joined the Main Street Managers to hear Thomas speak. Thomas ended by saying that
this restoration project has pulled our town together. "People now have a tremendous
sense of pride brought about by this great accomplishment".
Guided
Tour: Following the talk,
Mayor Thomas led the visitors on a tour of the hotel. The group learned that the original
architect, Gottfried L. Norrman, had blended different styles in designing the interior of
the building, notably in the Romanesque tower and in the Flemish stepped roof. Anders
Kaufman, of Columbia, SC, an architect for the historic preservation trust, and Design
Directions, an interior design firm in Atlanta, were responsible for the design of the
building’s interior during restoration.
After leading the tour through the
Windsor’s Grand Dining Room, the guide paused at the Lindbergh Private Dining Room
long enough to tell an interesting story. Charles A. Lindbergh came to Americus in 1923 to
buy a World War I airplane from a local war surplus center. He took some flying lessons
here prior to his first solo flight. A plaque at Southerfield Airport quotes Lindbergh:
"I had not soloed up to the time I bought my Jenny at Americus, Georgia." Some
people still remember him playing pool across the street in the Allison Building.
Inside the round tower are the three
special units; the Bridal Suite, the James Earl Carter Presidential Suite and the
President Roosevelt Board Room. When Franklin D. Roosevelt was Governor of New York, he
spoke from the verandah adjacent to the tower.
The influence of John Windsor, who
promoted the original hotel a century ago, can be seen in the interior design. The
three-story atrium lobby is Moorish. Distinctive features include the arches, wrought-iron
opera box railings, geometric patterns in the oak flooring, and hand-carved floral
patterns in the balusters. Off the interior balcony are the Ladies Tea Parlor, the Dayton
Room and Floyd’s Bar.
As the tour ended, it was explained that,
further exposure comes from its listing in the Membership Directory of Historic Hotels of
America. Published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, it also operates a
reservation service for the historic hotels listed.
1986: A New Beginning
As mentioned earlier the Windsor
Development Corporation was formed in 1986 by present day local visionaries and nearly $6
million dollars was spent to restore the original Victorian features of the hotel and add
all the modern conveniences. The process of major restoration began in October of 1990 and
the hotel reopened on September 20, 1991.
All the wood in the lobby is golden oak
which had darkened considerably over a 99-year period. To restore the original color, the
wood was cleaned with acetone and rubbed with tung oil. The two chandeliers are not
original but are circa 1890. The rug was handmade in Thailand. The design of the rug was
computer-generated and inspired by an original 1890s ceiling paper. The mirror on the back
wall of the lobby dates back to before the Civil War, and was donated by Harriet Rylander
Ansley. The marble on the lobby floor is the original and was removed during restoration,
cleaned, and then replaced piece by piece. During restoration the ceiling medallion,
located in the lobby, crashed into the basement and a new one was constructed from
fiberglass. The framed photo of John and Amelia Windsor just outside the front desk was a
gift from Bob Windsor, a descendent of the hotel’s namesake. The mahogany phone
booth, original to the Windsor, was donated by Mrs. Bessie Mae Carter in memory of her
husband.
The clock on the second-floor lobby is
the only original furnishing. It came from the Windsor jewelry shop. It has been restored,
and is on permanent loan from the Sumter Historic Trust. The Roosevelt Boardroom is also
called the "Lucky Room" because it was the headquarters for many successful
local political campaigns. Franklin D. Roosevelt made a speech to the Chamber of Commerce
from the adjoining balcony when he was Governor of New York in February 1928. It has also
been used for sequestered juries and ball teams too, such as the old Georgia/Florida
baseball league. The boardroom table is made of solid oak and was custom designed and
constructed on site by local craftsman David Becton.
In olden days, after dinner, the ladies
would adjourn to the Ladies Tea Parlor. Originally decorated in pink, blue, and gold, with
a statue of Amerigo Vespucci on the Grand Piano as a focal point of the room. It is
believed that Americus was named for Amerigo Vespucci or "A-Merry-Cuss," the
term used for those with a high-spirited zest for life.
Floyd’s Bar is named for Floyd
Lowery, who worked at the Windsor for 40 years as the elevator operator and bellman. Many
people still remember Floyd when the Windsor operated as a hotel as being a man who never
took a drink. It is therefore ironic that it is the Windsor pub that bares his name.
Guests not only relax at Floyd’s Bar, but also relax on the adjacent verandah sitting
in the wicker rockers sipping their drinks.
The tile floor in The Grand Dining Room
is original. The furnishings are reproductions (including the wrought-iron footed tables),
reflecting the style of the Victorian period.
There are 53 unique period-style rooms and suites,
all with twelve foot ceilings and ceiling fans. The
guest room doors were milled from the original floor
joists removed from the shops during restoration.
Each room has modern individually controlled heating
and air conditioning, and
high speed Internet Service.
The entire building is equipped with sprinklers and
state-of-the-art fire safety
equipment.
The Executive Suites are two-room suites,
featuring a sitting room and king bedroom. The third floor Executive Suite was named for
Jessica Tandy, with the connecting room named for Hume Cronin. The renaming of these rooms
took place in 1993 after the actors were guests of the hotel for several weeks during the
making of the Hallmark Hall of Fame film, "To Dance with the White Dog."
The Presidential Suite was named in honor
of President Jimmy Carter, 39th President of the United States and Sumter
County native.
To make it the official Carter Presidential Suite,
President Carter and First Lady Rosalynn stayed in
this suite in November of 2002. They also had dinner
in the Grand Dining Room on that same night. Inside
the Carter Presidential Suite there is a picture of
Jimmy and Rosalynn, with the owners of the Windsor,
Mr. and Mrs. Sharad Patel. President Carter has also
celebrated his 75th birthday at the
Windsor and at the Rylander Theatre in 1999. Many
celebrities joined the big celebration, such as Pat
Boone, Rosie Greer and the McGuire Sisters. Mr. and
Mrs. Jimmy Carter and several of their relatives
also attended the Windsor New Years Eve party in
2005. The Carters are frequent visitors and great
supporters of the Windsor.
A private staircase leads to the Bridal Suite, which
features a custom made demi-canopied king bed.
Special touches for honeymooners spending the night
in the Bridal Suite include
roses,
goblets and a bottle of champagne. The suite has
accommodated various famous and infamous guests. It
is rumored that John Dillinger or Al Capone spent
the night in the Suite with an armed bodyguard
posted at the foot of the stairs.
The Windsor Today
The Windsor Hotel is located 38 miles
north of Albany, 60 miles southeast of Columbus, and 130 miles south of Atlanta. Plains,
Georgia, home of President Jimmy Carter is nine miles from Americus, and Andersonville
National Historic Site is only a fifteen minute drive.
Amenities:
Continental
breakfast is complimentary for registered guests.
Enjoy remote control television with premium movies,
in-room coffee makers, and a daily newspaper is
complimentary at the front desk. All rooms have
remote high speed Internet service. Gift, clothing,
art, and antique shops, as well as a
spa and beauty salon
are all on the hotel property. Room
service is available.
Grand
Dining Room: Savor a
sophisticated yet unpretentious dining experience in our traditional southern
surroundings. Our Chef’s cuisine reflects specialties from around the country, as
well as favorites from our region. We serve breakfast and lunch everyday, and dinner
nightly except Sundays. Dinner reservations are recommended.
Floyd’s
Pub: A quaint neighborhood
pub overlooking Victorian downtown Americus and reflecting parts of her past. Sip
a favorite beverage while rocking peacefully on the famous front verandah, or just sit and observe the
goings on from around the nations oldest hotel atrium lobby. Fine times and friendship
await you. Closed Sundays.
Windsor
Specialty Items: Choose
from pens and key-chains made of original Windsor wood to golf caps and T-shirts. The
Windsor offers a wide range of signature items, all available at the front desk.
Packages:
The Windsor offers several overnight packages, from
the
Romantic Getaway Package to the Quail Hunt Package.
We also offer a Halloween Murder Mystery
Night
in October, Madrigal Dinner packages in November
and New Year’s Eve Package in December.
Seasonal packages, including a Valentines Package
and holiday specials are also available.
Banquet
Facilities: Some rooms and
suites of the hotel recall famous names in the Windsor’s colorful history. Banquet
rooms are listed below with the available capacity and square footage for various
functions.
Roosevelt
Boardroom:
This room
has 391 square feet
and seats twelve as a board/meeting room.
Lindbergh Private Dining Room:
This room is located off of the Grand Dining Room
and has 259 square feet.
It seats twelve as a private dining room or meeting
room, or fifteen as a small reception.
Dayton Room: Dayton Room: The Dayton room has
748 square feet of space, and can accommodate from 40 to 75 people.
Ladies Tea Parlor: This room has 661 square feet and can accommodate from 30 to 60 people.
Verandah: The second floor
verandah outside Floyd’s Pub can accommodate from 40 to 75 people for a banquet or
reception.
Americus-Sumter Room:
Americus-Sumter Room:
This is our largest banquet room with
1694
square feet of space. The Americus-Sumter Room is used
for many different types of functions and can
accommodate from
80 - 120
people.
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