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| Wardlaw-Smith-Goza Conference Center |
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Built in 1860, the Wardlaw-Smith-Goza Conference Center, listed in the Historic American Building Survey and the National Register of Historic Places, is a stately mansion represntative of the classical revival architectural style popular during the nineteenth century. Architect/builder William Archer Hammerly of Baltimore, Maryland was hired by Benjamin F. Wardlaw, a prominent Madison resident, to design and construct the house which he called "Whitehall." Subsequent owners were A. Marshall Cason, 1863-1867; Elizabeth T. Glover, 1867-1871; Chandler Holmes Smith and succeeding members of the Smith family, 1871-1978; and Mr. and Mrs. William M. Goza, 1978-1982, who did a major restoration on the house and grounds and called it "Whitehall" once again. |
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North Florida Community College purchased the property in 1988 through a Florida legislative appropiation to preserve and use it as a conference center for the six rural counties which the College serves. Furnishings and accessories are loaned or donated by individuals within the area.
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The two-story, square structure made of heart pine has many beautiful and interesting features, such as original window panes and shutters; 20 fluted columns of the Doric order; African mohogany, freestanding stairway; heart pine flooring put together with wooden pegs; expansive hallways; and original bookshelves in the library. |
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A four-foot garden wall enclosing the property was added in 1980 along with a fountain and an Italian pergola. These fixtures were typical to the Southern landscape in the 1800's when the classical style of architecture was popular. They are complemented by azaleas, camellias, boxwood, magnolia and wisteria. The old live oak tree on the north entrance pre-dates the house. |
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Historical stories associated with the house are varied. It was used briefly as a hospital after the Civil War battle of Olustee which was fought on February 20, 1864, near Lake City, Florida, approximately 70 miles east of Madison. The wounded, including Northern soldiers, were brought into Madison by train. After the fall of the Confederacy, it is said that Gen. John C. Breckinridge (Confederate Secretary of War and former Vice President of the United States during President Buchanan's administration) spent the night at the mansion on May 15, 1865, during his escape to Key West. Years later during the Great Depression, a local WPA office, used for dispensing commodities, was housed in one room.
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The Wardlaw-Smith-Goza Conference Center underwent its most recent renovations in the summer/fall of 2000. Funded by state and grant funds, the renovations included replacing and reframing the porch floor base, reinforcing the foundation, adding new piers for support, column repair and new paint for the exterior and interior walls. A wheel chair ramp was also added to the east side of the building. "The Conference Center was in dire need of interior and exterior renovation and I think the preservation of such a beautiful landmark in Madison is important," said WSG Coordinator Maria Greene. Previous renovations had been done 10 years prior. |
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On May 15, 2002, NFCC and the Friends of the Mansion named Willie Clare Copeland "Mansion Gatekeeper" for her many years of commitment and service to the Wardlaw-Smith-Goza Conference Center. Copeland has been a dedicated volunteer at the Mansion since NFCC purchased the historic building in 1988 to serve as the College’s conference center. A member of the WSG Conference Center Advisory Board, Copeland reliably greets new and old visitors alike. She is a familiar face at the Mansion and serves as a wonderful “gatekeeper” welcoming visitors and chatting about the conference center’s history.
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