The Pastels of Lauderdale

Spring seems to have sprung on Lauderdale Street, and the pink blooms 

of the Japanese Magnolia do themselves proud

 against the mint green house and turquoise sky. 

This is the Ware-Baker-Jones House that was built around 1859

 and became Grace Hall in 1985. Today, it once again is under restoration. 

Linking to Our World Tuesday and City Daily Photo Blogs

View more "tulip tree" blossoms over at Selma, Ala., Daily Photo's Facebook Page.

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. 

Linking to ABC Wednesday and City Daily Photo Blogs

Skywatch Friday, Spring has Sprung

Spring in Selma is simply breathtaking when the skies are bright blue,

 the azaleas are peaking, and there has been rain to wash away the pollen!

Posted at Skywatch Friday

Deep South Decor

Here in the heart of the Deep South,

we like to include a few drapes of Spanish Moss in our decor!

Pilgrimage Preparations

The 1839 Voeglin-Barker-Smitherman House is a work-in-progress, but most of the exterior work will be finished by Friday! Afraid that this downtown property might eventually become a parking lot, a former owner requested that this house not be torn down, and it still stands. New owners Steve and Erika Smitherman are restoring it and will welcome Pilgrimage visitors this weekend.

Smith-Quarles House in Autumn (Skywatch Friday)

It's autumn, but the sky is blue, and antique, old-fashioned roses still bloom along the fence in front of the Smith-Quarles House. Built in 1859 by Col. Washington Smith, descendants of the original family still occupy the house. You can read more about the Civil War history of this home HERE. 

You can view more skies over at Skywatch Friday.

Kenan House

Here's a house that still bears scars of a fire when Wilson's Raiders plundered Selma during one of the last battles of the Civil War in April 1865.

Located just north of town, the Kenan House was in the direct path of the Union calvary headed to destroy the Selma Arsenal and Naval Gunworks.

Finding no one home, the Yankees piled furniture in the parlor and set it afire. But this 1826 Greek Revival that was built from lumber on the property, didn't burn, thanks to servants who rushed out of hiding as soon as the troops were gone. However, a large area of the charred floor is still visible in front of the parlor fireplace.

The Kenan House is among nine homes that will be open for visitors during the Historic Selma Pilgrimage March 18-21. The nearby Kenan's Mill, an 1860's gristmill on Valley Creek, will also be open, and visitors can purchase stone-ground cornmeal and grits.

Confederate Rose at White-Force Cottage

Confederate Roses are blooming at White Force Cottage on Mabry Street. The roses are a hibiscus and related to cotton and okra. The large blooms first open as white blossoms, then turn pink on the second day and blue-pink on the third day.

White-Force Cottage was the Selma home of Mary Todd Lincoln's (President Abraham Lincoln's wife) half sister, Martha Todd White, and is next door to Sturdivant Hall.

Pilgrimage Presents Gillman Hall

Selma is about to open its Historic Treasure Chest for the 34th year in a row!

Pilgrimage is just a month away, and among the homes on tour this year is Gillman Hall, a Greek Revival Italianate built in 1860.

Constructed with brick, the exterior is finished with stucco, and the front porch posts are made of iron.

The home was purchased by Emile Gillman in 1874, and his family owned it until 1939 when it was purchased by Dr. Sam Moseley Sr. The Gillman family also owned Sturdivant Hall for 60 years.

This house was purchased again in 2008 and has been beautifully restored, and visitors will enjoy seeing its many period antiques.

For more Pilgrimage information, go to the Historic Preservation Pilgrimage website. You can also download a brochure here.

Henderson House

The Spring greens can't be topped for bringing out the beauty
of Selma's antebellum homes!

Henderson House is yet another structure that was occupied by Union troops after the Battle of Selma when the 1853 Greek Revival home became a temporary hospital for the wounded.

Originally named "Fairoaks," it was built by a nephew of U.S. Vice President William Rufus King. According to the historic marker:
"In 1980, the house was in a poor state of repair and was acquired by the City of Selma as part of a downtown stabilization program. The Alabama Historical Commission provided U.S. Department of the Interior funds which assisted with the city's purchase and the later restoration. Circle "S" Industries, Inc., purchased the property in April, 1981, and restored the house and its original dependencies. On March 12, 1982, the mansion was officially dedicated in honor of Ethel Henderson Striplin, a long-time Selma resident.

Greek-Revival Architecture

The Lee-Bender-Butler House is a Greek Revival structure that was built in 1850 by Thomas Helm Lee, a cousin of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Lee also built Selma's Sturdivant Hall, now a house museum.

Saving the Gold

Before Wilson's Raiders swept through Selma in April 1865, the owner of this house saved the Bank of Selma gold by hiding it in one of the columns.

Bank President Washington M. Smith sawed a hole in the top of the column, lowered the gold to the bottom, then repaired the hole. Union troops searched and searched for the bank's assets and even used part of the house as their headquarters. After the Yankees left Selma, much of which they burned, Smith cut another hole in the bottom of the column and got the gold. The bank was kept secure.

This home has been featured in years past on Selma's Historic Pilgrimage where visitors viewed barely noticeable seams where the column was cut.