Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Baker-Brooks House

If you have never visited Selma, Spring is a beautiful time of year,
 and Pilgrimage Weekend (March 15-16) is filled tours of historic homes,
 buildings, art shows and a cemetery "ghost" tour.

For the letter "B" over at ABC Wednesday, I chose a photo
 of the 1858 Baker-Brooks House. It was built by George Baker, 
a Philadelphia native who moved South and developed uses 
for cottonseed oil. He built Selma's first cottonseed oil mill 
and was a major financial contributor to many community projects.

During the Civil War, the house was in the flight path
 of Battle of Selma forces that fled to Valley Creek and the Alabama River.
 A mortally wounded Union soldier found refuge inside but died in the front hall.
 If you are very astute, you might be able to locate the area
 in the yard where a tunnel was dug to store food. 

17 comments:

Tanya Breese said...

i could live quite happily in this home!

EG CameraGirl said...

This is a beautiful place. I would love to tour it.

Elizabeth Edwards said...

nice fence line. ( :

SRQ said...

A Union solider dying in the hallway...a hidden food tunnel -- wow, very interesting history. And, the house is pretty too. I like your composition and that you included the fence, front porch, flowering bush, Spanish moss and magnolia leaves. Everything together really says 'South' to me.

Roger Owen Green said...

especially love the pillars!
ROG, ABC Wednesday team

Gattina said...

Beautiful house and interesting post !

Gina Brown said...

beautiful photo, Janet!

Janet said...

Gina, This house is just waiting for you to paint!

Gina Brown said...

I was hoping so :) Thanks Janet :)

Chattahoochee Valley Daily said...

Very nice with that bright pop of red.

TheChieftess said...

A Beautiful home...with such an interesting history!!! Is this a historical site now or a private home?

Janet said...

Chieftess, This is a private home.

Anonymous said...

SO lovely...

Kate said...

The composition of your photo is really quite lovely: angle of the house, red shrub and fence all work together to make a terrific snapshot.

Amy Burzese said...

Beautiful. I am making note for when I visit!

Leslie: said...

Love the history of old homes and really like the fence line in the photo.

Leslie
abcw team

Meghan said...

Such a beauty! I can't find where that tunnel was though.