Renovation Rodeo | Heathwood West
Friday, June 27th 2025
Palladium presented Renovation Rodeo | Heathwood West on Thursday, June 26, 2025, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Over 40 guests toured this circa-1966 home while enjoying beer from Columbia Craft Brewing Company, wine courtesy of Republic National Distributing Company, and delicious food from Something Small Catering. Both the current and previous owners were at the event, providing stories about the home and answering questions. This event was proudly sponsored by Lizz Grimm with ERA Wilder Realty, Hardy and Brittany Childers, and Garvin Design Group.
Throughout the year, Palladium features a property that has undergone—or is undergoing—an impressive renovation. From tiny 1940s bungalows to turn-of-the-century mansions, and everything in between, these events give you a chance to tour properties, learn about their renovation, and have a great time doing it. And they're FREE for our Palladium members!
About Heathwood
In 1911, cotton and real estate broker Moses Chappell Heath (1870-1933) purchased a tract of land situated between Garners Ferry Road (today’s Devine Street) and Trenholm Road. This land had historic significance as the former “Valle Crucis,” where the Preston family had its antebellum summer residence, and which, after the Civil War, Ursuline nuns used as their convent. The name Heathwood originates with Heath’s mansion, completed in 1914 and initially called “Heath Wood.”
Heath carefully selected his earliest neighbors and even imposed strict building requirements on their homes as reflected in the architecturally significant properties lining the southern edge of Heathwood Circle. Later phases of development to the east and northwest of the circle took place during the 1930s, 40s, and 50s and were led by residential developers and contractors.
In 1928, this section of Heathwood (Heathwood West) was still part of Epworth Orphanage. Image courtesy Richland Library.
This section of Heathwood, deeded to Maiden Lane, Inc. by Heath’s son-in-law, Burwell Manning (1897-1960), in 1952, was among the last to be developed. Maiden Lane's president, Barney A. Jordan (1909-1980), was a well-known contractor who previously founded Cherokee Construction Company in 1945. For the next decade, Cherokee primarily completed six-figure street paving contracts with the City of Columbia as part of its urban renewal efforts. Barney’s son, John “Jack” Jordan (1940-2011), eventually became president and in that capacity oversaw the widening of Gervais Street in 1959.
In 1951, Burwell Manning, president of Heathwood Land Corporation, had this section of Heathwood surveyed. He sold it to Maiden Lane, Inc. the following year. Lot 3 of Block “D” later became 1319 Adger Road. Image courtesy Richland County Register of Deeds.
1319 Adger Road
In 1961, Maiden transferred ownership of 1319 Adger Road—its only undeveloped lot —to twenty-one-year-old Jack Jordan. He later married Katherine Rogers in 1964. Based on city directories, the house was not completed until 1967, and even then as an income-producing rental property, it was still subject to the same restrictions of the adjacent Maiden-developed homes, namely:
- That it must be a single-family residence
- That any garage, if constructed, must be attached
- That it must be two stories and not cost less than $22,000
1319 Adger Road is set on a hill, and the original home contained a main level and walk-out basement level with three bedrooms and bathrooms, thus meeting the two-story requirement of all Maiden-developed homes.
As seen in this Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from 1956, 1319 Adger Road remained undeveloped. Note that the 1300 block is incorrectly recorded as Tomaka. Image courtesy Library of Congress.
From 1967 until 1978, Colonel Richard S. Marr (1901-1980) was in residence at 1319 Adger while he served as director of the Office of Manpower and Organizational Development. Col. Marr was previously a career army office who served as Chief of Staff in the 4th Infantry Division (European Theater) during WWII—including directing the landing of that division during the invasion of Normandy.
Col. Richard S. Marr, Chief of Staff, Fourth Infantry Division during WWII. Image courtesy Google Books.
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From 1978 until 1998, city directories list the property as “vacant” or “no return,” the latter indicating it was likely a rental.
Renovations
The Jordan family sold the home to Harper Shull in 2001. According to Shull, significant renovations completed in 2003 included adding a third story with an additional three bedrooms, raising the ceilings 18 inches on the main level, and a few windows. The steep, U-shaped driveway was also redone to create a large parking pad in front of the property. Shull recalls, "More went into planning that driveway than perhaps ripping the roof off." Upon completion of the renovations, Shull sold the home in 2003.
When the current owners, Dr. Hugh and Margaret Willcox, purchased the home for their growing family in 2009, they did not immediately make substantial improvements to the property; rather, they took time to plan a thoughtful renovation while raising their young family. Margaret recalls sketching the idea for the addition around 2019, and feels the outcome is true to her vision. Using Scott Elliott and Elliott Builders as general contractors, they expanded the kitchen off the back of the home, adding seven windows for more light, and removing a wall to open the kitchen into what is now the living room. In addition to bumping out the kitchen, a large outdoor entertainment area with an outdoor kitchen runs the length of the back of the home. In what is now the dining room, four windows were converted to doors to create a great flow through the main level's interior and exterior spaces. This extension off the back of the home on the main level enabled the Willcoxes to create a large recreation space on the lower level adjacent to the three bedrooms. According to the homeowner, the recreation room is now the most used room in the home, allowing easy access to the pool and backyard.
While 1319 Adger Road now bears little resemblance to the original property, it feels perfectly at home in the architecturally diverse Heathwood West neighborhood.
Renovation Images
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The above research was compiled by members of the Palladium Board education committee with assistance from Historic Columbia's research staff.
Event images courtesy of Historic Columbia. Renovation images courtesy of Harper Shull and Margaret Willcox.
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Palladium
Palladium members don't just learn about Columbia's past - they have a say in its future. Our fundraising events support Historic Columbia's important preservation and advocacy work, which in turn helps preserve the charm and vitality of the city we call home.