Official Web Site of the Union County Historical Society of Georgia
 Union County Historical Society - Architect, J.W. Golucke


Union County wanted the newest,
most update design for it's new Court House!


In 1890s that meant Romanseque Revival
and Georgia's hottest architect, James W. Golucke.

Romanseque Revival Architecture
The architecture of the Romanesque era (A.D. 800-1150) in Europe presented Victorian builders with simple, sturdy models that could be adapted to 19th century needs. The Romanesque Revival became the vogue for business buildings in the 1890's. Towns, church congregations, and railroads were the most frequent clients of this style, popular for large-scale public buildings, such as courthouses, city halls, train depots, and churches. Romanesque Revival buildings usually have compact plans and blocky massing. The single most characteristic feature of the style is the use of heavy masonry (brick or roughly finished stone) walls pierced by massive, multiple coursed round arches. Architects placed massive corner towers and lofty hip roofs to give buildings a medieval fortress impression.

The Romanesque Revival style first appeared in America as early as the 1850s. This early phase of the style was imported by German architects and was influenced by a new interest in Romanesque architecture, which developed in Europe during the mid 1800s. Later in the century, American architect Henry Hobson Richardson (1838-86) greatly popularized Romanesque-inspired buildings. The style remained popular in America until 1910.

Characteristics include:
use of brick or stone, giving a heavy appearance,
smooth wall surfaces contrast with rough stone trim,
dark colors,
massive round-headed arched windows and doorways,
deeply recessed openings,
round or square towers of differing heights.
J. W. Golucke,
the Architect of the Union County Court House

James Wingfield Golucke was born on June 19, 1857 in Wilkes County, Georgia. He began his career as an architect in the 1890s and worked until his death in 1907. He designed over 30 courthouses in Georgia and Alabama. James Golucke also designed the Fitzpatrick Hotel in Washington, Georgia and Terrell Hall, Georgia College in Milledgeville, Georgia.

James Golucke died in the jail of Baker County, Georgia's county seat, Newton. He was accused of the misappropriation of funds in the construction of the Baker County Court house. He died in after an unsuccessful suicide attempt (see newspaper article below). Recent evidence suggests that he was falsely accused. He died on October 26, 1907 in Baker County, Georgia and is buried in the Crawfordville Baptist Cemetery, Taliaferro County, Georgia. It is said that his ghost still haunts the Baker County Courthouse to this day.

“Death takes J.W. Golucke”
The Atlanta Constitution, Oct 28, 1907;
ProQuestHistorical Newspapers Atlanta Constitution (1868 - 1925)

DEATH TAKES J. W. GOLUCKE

Body of Well Known Architect Reached Atlanta Last Night.

The body of J. W. Golucke, formerly a prominent architect in Atlanta, reached the city last night at about 8 o'clock and is being held at the undertaking establishment of Greenberg, Bond & Bloomfield, awaiting the perfection of funeral arrangements. Some time ago Mr. Golucke was arrested and carried to the Baker county jail at Newton on the charge of alleged connection with the misappropriation of funds in the building of a new courthouse for Baker county. Several weeks ago he tried to commit suicide while in his cell by cutting the arteries in his wrist with a piece of glass, but his purpose was thwarted by the efforts of physicians. He recovered from these injuries, it is said, his death resulting Saturday night, at Newton, from an attack of gastritis.

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.


For more information on J.W. Golucke, see The Courthouse and the Depot: The Architecture of Hope in an Age of Despair by Wilber W. Caldwell (Mercer University Press, 2001). Additionally articles on Georgia's County Court Houses may be viewed at the web site of the "Association County Commissioners of Georgia." Also go to this USGenWeb site by one of his descendants.

Union County Historical Society of Georgia, Copyright 2006