John Daniel Rather House

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John Daniel Rather House
John Daniel Rather House, 209 South Cave Street, Tuscumbia (Colbert County, Alabama).jpg
The house in a 1934 HABS photo
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Location209 S. Cave St., Tuscumbia, Alabama
Coordinates 34°43′50″N87°41′56″W / 34.73056°N 87.69889°W / 34.73056; -87.69889
Arealess than one acre
Built1823 (1823)
Architectural styleFederal
NRHP reference No. 82001603 [1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPDecember 16, 1982
Designated ARLHOctober 4, 1978 [2]

The John Daniel Rather House (also known as Locust Hill) is a historic residence in Tuscumbia, Alabama. The house was built in 1823 by William H. and Catherine Winter, who came to The Shoals from Prince William County, Virginia. It was taken over by the Union Army during the Civil War and used as the headquarters of General Florence M. Cornyn. After the war, the house was purchased by John Taylor Rather, an early North Alabama settler who was deputy sheriff of Madison County, and a longtime member of the Alabama House of Representatives and later the Alabama Senate. His son, John Daniel Rather, also served in both houses of the state legislature, and was President of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad.

The house is built in Federal style, and is two stories with chimneys in each gable end. The white-painted brick is laid in Flemish bond on the west and south sides that face Cave and 7th Streets. All windows are two-over-two sashes, and the main entrance is a double leaf door with moulded trim and a transom. An Eastlake porch was later added to the front and north façades. The porch features elaborate panels with floral designs, brackets with acorn pendants, and turned, spool-shaped posts. Two original mantels remain, one Adamesque and one Federal, while two replacement mantels are Classical Revival and Victorian. [3]

The house was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in 1978 and the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. [1] [2]

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References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "The Alabama Register of Landmarks & Heritage". preserveala.org. Alabama Historical Commission. June 13, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 17, 2014. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
  3. Mertins, Ellen; Barry Loveland (May 1981). "John Daniel Rather House". National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form. National Park Service. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved February 23, 2015.See also: "Accompanying photos". Archived (PDF) from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved February 23, 2015.