Southern Antebellum Architecture

[monsoon]

[Spartan]

Its really a shame that so many antebellum structures have been razed over the years.

Spartanburg County has several structures remaining. The most famous is the Walnut Grove Plantation located near Roebuck, SC.

Walnut Grove Plantation is on land granted in 1763 by King George III to Charles Moore when the area was known as the backcountry. The documented collection of antique furnishings and accessories vividly portrays living conditions in Spartanburg County prior to 1805.

The plantation contains most of its original buildings. They include Rocky Spring Academy, a separate kitchen, blacksmith's forge, wheat house, smoke house, barn, well house and Dr. Andrew Barry Moore's office.

Living Room ----------------------- Kitchen -------------------- School House -------------- Smokehouse

In addition to ancient and lovely oaks and walnuts, the grounds include an herb garden centered with a dipping well and the Moore family cemetery, where Margaret Katherine (Kate) Barry, local Revolutionary War heroine, as well as other family members, slaves, and Revolutionary War soldiers are buried. The grounds include a nature trail, picnic area, covered pavilion and vegetable gardens.

Another structure is the Seay House. It isn't as large, but it still qualifies.

The Seay House is a surviving example of a small rural farmstead that existed prior to the development of Spartanburg. The log portion of the house is typical of the early architecture of the 18th century. Additions were made to the house consistent with 19th century architecture. In the late 19th century, the house was occupied by three unmarried Seay sisters, who also ran the farm.

Restoration work is being completed on the property.

The final structure is the Price House.

Thomas Price built this house on 144 acres around 1795. It grew to be over 2000 acres. Besides farming, he also ran the post office and general store. He had a license to operate a "house of entertainment," that is, to feed and house travelers who came by on the stage coach.

The brick house with its steep gambrel roof and inside end chimneys is most unusual for this section of the country. The bricks for the house were made on the premises and are laid in Flemish bond.

When Thomas Price died in 1820, and his wife Ann in 1821, all his goods were sold. A forty-two page inventory has been a guide in furnishing the house with items of the period.

[DruidCity]

The original portion of Bryce Hospital for the Insane in Tuscaloosa (with the dome)was built in the 1850s, and has been added onto numerous times.

It was designed and built by some of the same people that built the current state capitol in Montgomery.

link :

http://imgsrv.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs...Ref=AR&maxw=700

The Jemison-VandeGraaff mansion in downtown Tuscaloosa (1860) is our best local example of antebellum Italianate architecture. A very long time ago, someone committed suicide by hanging himself in that top room:

The old Tuscaloosa jail downtown was built in the 1850s & is now used as a classroom for a private school housed in a group of antebellum buildings, the oldest of which was built in 1820:

There are 3 dozen or so antebellum structures remaining in Tuscaloosa & another 100 + in the metro area.

There's another 100+ an hour west in Columbus, MS.

Arlington Antebellum Home & Gardens (late 1840s) is Birmingham's best-known antebellum structure, as the City of Birmingham wasn't founded until 1871.

The Union troops who destroyed much of the university in Tuscaloosa in 1865

stayed at Arlington Home on their way down here.

In Natchez, in SW Mississippi, are numerous incredible antebellum homes, including Longwood (1860), the best example of octagonal Victorian:

[Wilds-Edwards House Owner]

I certainly was flattered to discover MY house being discussed in your fourum. However, it certainly is not in its original state. I have wired and plumbed it and added central cooling and furnaces. It has been completely redecorated. Regards, Jeff Kimbrell, Owner of the Wilds-Edwards House

[Scott]

This is an excellent thread!

btw-I guess I was unaware when Birmingham AL was founded.

[bertiesong]

I live near the Wilds-Edwards house. Nice to see others admiring this house. Would love to do the same to my house sometime.