The CENTURY HOUSE is one of the most imposing buildings in the town of Ridgeway. It is a massive, well-proportioned, two-story, solid brick house located almost in the center of the town. The large and ancient trees on the grounds give it a distinctive beauty and dignity.
The house was built in 1853 by James Buchanan Coleman, an extensive landowner. His properties were scattered from Blythewood, in the lower section of the county, to the DEVIL'S RACE TRACK community in the upper section. On locating in Ridgeway, he purchased the Rosborough home and a large tract of land from his friend, James Thomas Rosborough, M.D., some time before 1842 when Dr. Rosborough moved to Texas. Coleman family records indicate that this "two-story (Rosborollgh homestead) wooden house was near the BRICK HOUSE on the same level . . . with beautiful pink climbing roses on the piazza . . . large rooms on both floors and silver doorknobs and walnut stair-rails . . . built before 1800 by Dr. Rosborough's father, Mr. John Rosborough." The older Coleman children were born in the Rosborough house before Mr. Coleman built the BRICK HOUSE. The Colemans were hospitable and fond of company and entertaining; this is evidenced by the large and gracious home that they erected.Situated on the new Charlotte and South Carolina Railroad, which hauled freight and passengers in 1856, the Colemans' commanding brick house became the center of social and business life in the newly developing community of Ridgeway.
With the coming of the War Between the States, the BRICK HOUSE entertained many visitors and travellers passing through Ridgeway, who came by train, stagecoach, wagon train, on horseback, and afoot. Refugees from the lowcountry of South Carolina and Georgia, as well as others from Virginia and North Carolina, became almost daily visitors in the Colemans' hospitable and well-provisioned home.
The Century House now serves as the Town Hall for Ridgeway. There is also a lovely meeting room available for rent, contact Town Hall.
