Greensboro celebrates bicentennial with tour of historic homes, museums and churches

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Greensboro will celebrate its bicentennial with a two-day showcase of more than 20 historic homes, churches, museums, and other places of interest, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday.

More information on the self-guided tour, including details about sites and a ticket-purchase link, can be found at www.visitgreensboroal.com. The website also includes information about other bicentennial events, notable Greensboro residents and a gallery of historical photos.

Tickets are $25 for one day, or $40 for both, and can be purchased in advance through the site, or on event days at Magnolia Grove, 1002 Hobson St., an Alabama Historic Commission Landmark included on the tour.

Magnolia Grove, built in Greensboro, Alabama, in Hale County, is an example of temple-style Greek revival architecture that will be on display this weekend, Saturday and Sunday June 10-11, as part of the city's bicentennial tour of homes.
Magnolia Grove, built in Greensboro, Alabama, in Hale County, is an example of temple-style Greek revival architecture that will be on display this weekend, Saturday and Sunday June 10-11, as part of the city's bicentennial tour of homes.

The tour will include several structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Greensboro Historic District, centered on Main Street and running from Hobson Street on the west to First Street in the east, featuring examples of Federal, Greek Revival, and vernacular architecture.

Private homes on the tour

  • The Harvey-Poellnitz House: Also known as “Seven Pines," built in 1848 by Col J. G. Harvey, long-time editor of The Alabama Beacon, a newspaper established in 1840. It features a simple design, with a gable front porch roof and four square, Doric-detailed columns. It's recently gone through major renovations.

  • The Randolph-Duskin-Ryan home: Built in 1885, an example of a two-story, Eastlake Victorian dwelling. Of note are the stained glass bay window, decorative woodwork on the porch, and a Christmas tree displayed year 'round in the front dining room.

  • Lowry-Baird-Shaner home: Constructed before 1840 by Squire Lowry, the core has nearly tripled in size from additions over the years.

  • The Ward-Dewitt-Allen house: Built in 1898 by Greensboro’s most prolific builder of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, John Straiton. A three-story corner tower, topped by an onion-shaped dome, stands out in this two-and-a-half story Queen Anne style home.

  • The Seay-Lawson-Cothran home: Built in 1880, with three French doors leading from the music, living and dining rooms onto a wraparound front porch. In the music room there are a 1900 Starr upright grand piano, a 1900 Estey pump organ and a Kilgen Petite Ensemble pipe organ, with 219 pipes in an oak cabinet, after having served in the Greensboro Baptist Church from 1924-1990.

  • The Duggar-Osborn-Barrett house: One-story Victorian cottage with Eastlake details, built around 1890. Features include articulated gable bays, a partial width porch with a turret, a single leaf entrance, and decorative spindle and scroll work.

  • Oakhampton: Construction began in 1836 on the Shackleford-McCrary-Otts house, evolving over decades to include elements from several architectural trends, up to its current Greek revival facade as Oakhampton. Current owners have added a collection of American furniture and decorative arts.

  • Japonica Path: The Norris-Smaw-Withers house was built in the 1840s, named for the camellia japonica. Fully restored, it operates as a full-service wedding and event venue.

  • Multi Flora: The Inge-Lewis-Stewart home, now known by a name meaning"many flowers," was built in the late 1850s in classic Greek revival style, featuring detailed cornices, four square columns with recesses on all sides, high ceilings, and a curved stairway with a black walnut railing and spindles.

  • Camellia Cottage: The Lawson-Otts-Vise house was built in 1880. Its front porch was enlarged, adding twelve Ionic columns, and the porte-cochere.

  • The Avery-McCrary House: One of the city's notable mid-20th century homes, honoring the neoclassical style, meticulously restored after a fire.

The Noel-Ramsey House is apparently the oldest surviving home in Greensboro, constructed beginning 1819.
The Noel-Ramsey House is apparently the oldest surviving home in Greensboro, constructed beginning 1819.

Select Greensboro bicentennial timeline

  • 1816: The first white settlers — brothers Andrew, Caleb and Isaac Russell — build around what becomes a small village, initially called Troy, on fertile land in Alabama's Black Belt, in what would become Hale County. (The city of Troy in Pike County was recorded by deed in 1838.) Pioneers began clearing the abundant woods — primeval oaks, hickory, chestnut and pine — for farming, including cattle raising. Game was abundant, from deer to bear, wild turkeys and other birds. Log cabins were the earliest homes.

  • 1818: First mail brought to Troy on horseback, from the old state capital Cahaba, and opened in the store of Frederick Peck, the postmaster.

  • 1819-1821: Construction on the Noel-Ramsay home, also known as Old French House, oldest surviving home in Greensboro, built by French settlers who hoped to establish grape vines and olive trees.

  • 1821: Stores, hotels and saloons followed planters, ministers and professional men, as the village became large enough to apply for a charter.

  • Dec. 24, 1823: Incorporated as a town, Greensborough, later shortened to Greensboro, became one of many U.S. places named for Nathanael Greene, a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, appointed by General George Washington as Quartermaster General of the United States Army March 2, 1778. There are at least 17 and possibly 18 counties in the U.S. named for Greene, including Greene County, Alabama; 22 U.S. cities and towns, and also parks, schools, buildings, community centers, neighborhoods and at least two brewpubs.

  • 1830: Probable first construction date of the Greensboro Hotel. A third story was added in the 1890s.

  • 1836: Robert Shackleford begins construction on a small, single-story home that would later be remodeled into the Greek Revival structure known now as Oakhampton.

  • 1840s and beyond: Antebellum plantations begin to rise, built around the rising cotton crop, including Magnolia Grove and Multi Flora. Three major churches are built on or about 1840, including St. Paul's Episcopal, Greensboro Presbyterian, and First Methodist.

  • 1867: Hale County is organized by the Reconstruction legislature, taking 40% of Greene County, but also building from Marengo, Perry and Tuscaloosa counties. Greensboro becomes its county seat.

  • 1880s: Camellia Cottage, the Ryan-Kirk-Luker Victorian, and Seay-Lawson-Cothran neoclassical are built.

  • 1898: The imposing Queen Anne style Ward-DeWitt home is built, with a three-story corner tower topped by an onion-shaped dome.

  • 1903: Greensboro Opera House built, on the site of an earlier opera house.

  • 1968: The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. takes refuge from the KKK in a small shotgun house in Greensboro, just weeks before his assassination in Memphis. That building was later expanded and made into the Safe House Black History Museum.

  • 1996: Auburn's famed Rural Studio moves into the Morrisette House in Newbern, about 10 miles south of Greensboro. The project builds numerous structures in Greensboro, including homes, Lions Park, a Boys and Girls Club home, a cafe, children's center, playground and hospital courtyard.

  • 2003: Though deserted for more than 50 years, the Greensboro Opera House, bought by a non-profit, begins restoration into a multi-purpose cultural center.

  • 2014: Project Horseshoe Farm begins restoration of the Old Greensboro Hotel into an expanded community center, partnered with Hale County Hospital and the University of Alabama Family Residency program to add mental health and primary care.

The Safe House Black History Museum was built from a shotgun house where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. hid out from the KKK in Greensboro, just weeks before his assassination in Memphis.
The Safe House Black History Museum was built from a shotgun house where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. hid out from the KKK in Greensboro, just weeks before his assassination in Memphis.

Reach Mark Hughes Cobb at mark.cobb@tuscaloosanews.com, or call 205-722-0201.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Greensboro celebrates bicentennial with tour of historic places