Huntsville Pilgrimage Association

1814 POPE – WIGINTON HOME
403 ECHOLS AVENUE

In 1809, LeRoy Pope bought property at the federal land sales in Nashville, Tennessee. His original purchase later became part of Madison County, Alabama, and was named Twickenham.In 1811, the settlement was re-named Huntsville after its original settler, John Hunt.

Pope built his permanent home, Poplar Grove, in 1814, overlooking the town. It is the oldest documented antebellum mansion in Alabama. Building materials, including brick, hand-hewn poplar, and heart pine, were shipped down the Tennessee River by boat, and then transported to Huntsville by wagon.

Shortly after the Popes moved into their new home, they hosted a dinner in honor of Andrew Jackson. Guests included a future President of the United States, five future governors of Alabama, and six men who gave their names to Alabama counties.

The Pope family lived in Poplar Grove until the death of William Pope in 1848 when the home was sold to Dr. Charles Patton. Shortly afterward, local architect George Steele added the classic Greek Revival portico. The Patton family lived on the property until 1979 when it was leased to the University of Alabama in Huntsville for its president’s home.

Danny Wiginton purchased the house in 1997 and undertook an extensive restoration. Once again, Poplar Grove has become a center for gracious southern living.

1853 SMITH – LEBERTE HOME
706 ADAMS STREET

Mr. and Mrs. D. C. Humphrey built this two-story antebellum home. They sold it to Dr. Carlos G. Smith, a distinguished educator who established Smith Academy, a school for young men. In 1874, Dr. Smith became the president of the University of Alabama.

In 1938, Dr. and Mrs. T.E. Dilworth acquired the property and restored the structure. They preserved the hand-made glass windowpanes, old mortised mantels, and original staircase. They also painted the home white and added the front brick wall.

In 1993, Robin Leberte purchased the property. With the help of the late architect Harvie Jones, she added additional living space, an enclosed courtyard, detached guest suite, and garage.

Visitors will enjoy the vibrant color scheme and interesting antiques and collections displayed throughout the home.

1921 MURPHY – HETTINGER HOME
406 EUSTIS AVENUE

This property was originally part of the property owned by LeRoy Pope. In 1920, Agnes and Jere Murphy purchased the property. Jere Murphy served as the Huntsville city attorney from 1900 to 1909 and also farmed in the county.

The Murphys met an architect from California and commissioned him to design a house for the lot. He was familiar with the work of the Prairie School designers led by Frank Lloyd Wright. This influence shows in the structure’s architectural details. It is one of a few Prairie School style homes in Huntsville.

The house features a strong horizontal orientation created by a flat roof with large eaves. A unique feature of the design is the band of open vents between the ceilings and the roof, intended to permit a breeze to drift through to cool the interior.

The house is currently owned by former mayor of Huntsville, Steve Hettinger and his wife Bonnie, who purchased the property in 2005. They rebuilt the detached garage to fit seamlessly with the distinctive style of the home.

1923 SAVAS – HARBARGER HOME
610 CLINTON AVENUE

The Harbarger home is a fine example of the American Craftsman bungalow which is characterized by low forms, exposed eaves, and a sloping roof, creating an expression of easy informality. Mr. and Mrs. Charlis Savas bought the property in 1919 and in 1923, built a house on the corner lot. The original contract called for an outside finish of stucco over ric board, brick footings, and two porches. As the years progressed, the Savases raised their family and eventually converted portions of the home into apartment units.

Present owners Lisa and Mark Harbarger purchased the property in 2003 and began extensive renovations to convert the house back into a single-family dwelling. They included architectural components consistent with the Craftsman style, utilized the original Pembrook bath and sinks, installed period tile, and restored the oak staircase.

1929 FANNING – PEAKE HOME
1103 WARD AVENUE

In 1929, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Fanning built this traditional bungalow. Highlights of this house include interesting basket-weave brickwork and side-gabled roofline with a centered dormer, both defining traits of early 20th century bungalow style architecture. The brick columns, instead of wood, are an unusual feature in a bungalow of this style.

Drs. Varina and Paul Warren, both dentists, purchased the property in 1939, and it remained in the Warren family until 1992. In 1995, Dr. Warren’s granddaughter, Dr. Carolyn Peake, a fourth generation dentist, and her husband, Bert Peake, acquired the home. The Peakes have lovingly restored it with modifications which included an added interior staircase to replace an exterior one and extensive exterior landscaping.

1858 ROBINSON – JONES HOME
401 QUIETDALE DRIVE

Some time near 1844, William Robinson, the high sheriff of Madison County, purchased the land where Quietdale now stands. He planned an elegant plantation home, but he died in 1852, before it was built. His widow, Caroline Moore Robinson, built the house to his precise specifications.

Quietdale is comprised of a mixture of architectural styles. The two-story, five-bay house has a Georgian appearance with its hipped roof topped by a flat deck, but this appearance is dominated by Gothic Revival details such as Tudor arches and scrolled brackets. The interior is Greek Revival. Some outbuildings, such as the former kitchen and servants’ quarters, still remain.

Caroline Robinson raised five children at Quietdale and ran the plantation until her death in 1885. Later that year, the house and remaining land were sold at public auction. In 1984, Billie and Ira Jones acquired the property and continue renovation work. Quietdale was included in the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1935 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

1847 CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY
EPISCOPAL
208 EUSTIS AVENUE

The congregation of the Church of the Nativity was organized in December 1842 – with its name being chosen because of the approaching Christmas season. In 1845, the church purchased a lot and built a brick building. The church’s first service took place in August, 1847.

The church needed a larger facility and it began construction on what is now the main sanctuary. The initial service in that building, built alongside the first, was held on Easter Eve, 1859. The original structure was razed in 1878. In 1992, the federal government designated the present building a National Historic Landmark.

The structure is a fine example of American Gothic architecture, influenced by the European Gothic ecclesiastical styles of the 15th and 16th centuries. A 151-foot spire, pointed arches, and ribbed vaults distinguish the church. Stained glass tracery windows bring natural light into the nave and aisles.

In 1946, the organ, built by the American firm Aeolian-Skinner, was installed at the Church of the Nativity. A beautiful example of the Aeolian-Skinner company’s voicing and overall superiority of tonal design, the organ fits beautifully into the church’s overall aesthetic and acoustics. An organ recital by Suzanne Purtee, organist and choirmaster of Church of Nativity, at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 3, 2008, in conjunction with the Home Tour, is an excellent opportunity to appreciate the beauty and tone of the Skinner organ.

In 1977, an education and music facility was completed.


	WIGINTON GARDEN 403 ECHOLS AVENUE The gardens that surround Poplar Grove are inspired by the George Steele portico added in the 1840’s in the Greek Revival style. Visitors will enjoy the classical elements of the architecture created in the six distinct gardens with boundaries defined by decorative trees and tall bushes. A traditional courtyard garden provides a transition to a rose garden, which in turn leads to a sitting garden centered with a broken column – a reference to the Old South and the historic origins of the home. Guests will thoroughly enjoy the fanciful statuary of dancing turtles created by Alabama artist Frank Fleming. The gardens and outbuildings pay homage to Poplar Grove by providing a modern interpretation of this grand home’s historic and architectural legacies.
	McCOWN GARDEN 527 FRANKLIN STREET Jean and Jim McCown created different sections in their garden, just as a home has different rooms. A walled area encloses a delightful patio enhanced with well-chosen plantings. An original well, initially used for the 19th century household water supply, is covered with an unusual gazebo, forming another exterior “room.” An outbuilding dating from the same time period as the home (circa 1818) could have been used as either a smokehouse or carriage house. During the creation of the garden, workers found bricks leading from this building to the street, hinting at its former use. The carport was designed in keeping with the home’s 19th century architecture. Visitors should note the wrought iron weather vane, featuring a man atop a horse. The weathervane originally topped the mailbox at Jean McCown’s childhood home, Oaklawn.
	EVANS GARDEN 413 RANDOLPH AVENUE The formal garden of Lyn and Steuart Evans, designed by Bill Nance, echoes the refined manner of the Greek Revival style of the Evans’ home. Walkways and terraces feature old brick and stone, interspersed with focal points of urns, a fountain, and carefully chosen architectural accents. A gazebo anchors the end of the garden and provides a distinctive feature. Plant materials include boxwoods, hostas, ferns, hydrangeas, Japanese maples, and shade-loving perennials. Seasonal flowers are used in urns, surrounded by dwarf boxwood, mondo grass, and ground cover.
The Huntsville Pilgrimage Association extends many thanks to our sponsors: Van Valkenburgh & Wilkinson REALTORS®: Nancy W. and Richard Van Valkenburgh, Sarah W. Hereford, Sibyl Wilkinson, Gail Fay, Judy and Fred McLaurine, Julie V. Lockwood, Sarah Lauren V. Kattos, Barbra Hubler, Stacy Sumners Hedden, Dan Maxwell, Julie Anglin, Richard Gipson Roger Schlittler and Colonial Graphics Group. Photography by Jim Taylor. Design by Shults Design.