SERVPRO Helps with Fire Damage in Historic City of Augusta

1/25/2021 (Permalink)

Our fire damage experts can have your home back to its original state, “Like it never even happened.”

Old Buildings Need Special Care After Fire Damage

Augusta (which is officially known as Augusta-Richmond County) has a long and exciting history. Noble Jones first created the colony in 1736 to provide a defense line against the Spanish and French. In 1739 townspeople began constructing a road so people could reach Augusta on foot or by horse rather than by boat, and the town began to grow more quickly.

During the Revolution, Georgia was a major producer of textiles, paper, and gunpowder. It is also the home of the Southern Baptist Convention, which is one of the most prominent protestant denominations in the United States.

Augusta's Beautiful Historic Districts

With such a rich history, it is no surprise that Augusta is filled with wonderful historic districts that you will love visiting. Be sure to check out:

• Augusta Downtown Historic District, which is filled with notable buildings dating back to the civil war. You can visit many historical churches and the oldest synagogue in Augusta (Congregation of B'nai Israel Synagogue, founded in 1869.) You'll also find a wealth of historic homes, a courthouse, and post offices.
• Broad Street Historic District features 158 buildings that led to its inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. You can see the Imperial Theater, which opened in 1918, and the Arte Moderne style Miller Theater and Vaudeville House. 
• Sand Hills Historic District is also known as Elizabethtown Historic District. It is a historic African-American area with community landmark buildings, historic residences and commercial buildings, and a cemetery.
• Summerville is an affluent district that used to be a separate village but is now incorporated as part of the city. Summerville was built in the 1870s and was initially famous as a summer resort for local people. However, as the village grew, it became popular for affluent people looking for a pleasant place to spend the winter. Today, visitors can see historic homes, a library, and an inn.
  
  

Historic Fire Rocked Augusta Residents

In 1916, a fire destroyed a swathe of Augusta buildings:

• The fire caused $10 million of damages.
• Three thousand residents were left homeless.
• Over 600 commercial and residential properties were destroyed.
• The 17-story Lamar building burned, and construction had to be re-started. 
• Multiple churches and schools burned down, and hundreds of hay bales were destroyed.
  
  

The fire was most likely started by an unattended iron in a tailor's shop.

SERVPRO Helps Fire Damage in Historic Homes

Because SERVPRO is a locally owned and operated franchise, we understand the Augusta community's unique needs. With so many historic buildings around, residents need a fire damage remediation team that understands the challenges of working on old buildings, such as:

•  Uneven floors or quirky walls and ceilings.
• Intricate moldings or carvings where soot can settle.
• Older plumbing or wiring that might not have caught up to modern standards.
• Old doors and window frames can be warped and damaged by fire or by swelling due to water from fire hoses.
• Older insulation, paint, or wallpaper that can be stained by smoke.
  
  

Our teams take everything into account when drawing up a fire damage remediation plan. For a fire damage service that cares, call SERVPRO of Augusta South / Burke & Wilkes Counties at (706) 843-1990.