The British Invade Demopolis

[UCVRelics]

I had the privilege of hosting my dear friends @rebel brit aka Ken & Gill here in Demopolis this weekend. They flew over the pond for a trip and a get together of the CWT MIS event next weekend at Chickamauga. I rolled out the red carpet and showed them all the second oldest city in Alabama had to offer.

I started out showing them some of the finest plantations in the state. We started at Lyon Hall and with us just having our anual Rooster Day celebration the British flag was still flying.

George Lyon began construction on the house in 1850, it would continue until 1853. Upon completion of the house, they traveled to New York to furnish it. Lyon descendants lived in the house until the death of George Gaines Lyon Lamar in 1996

 

[UCVRelics]

Our next stop was White Bluff and Bluff Hall which was built in 1832 by plantation owner Allen Glover, and is among the many historic homes still standing in Demopolis. It is now a museum interpreting the life of the planter class in the mid-nineteenth century and is operated by the Marengo County Historical Society. The home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970 and along with Lyon Hall served as the basis of Lionnet, the estate of the fictional Giddens family in Lillian Hellman's The Little Foxes.

The small white build to the left of the main house was the kitchen. The log house behind the house was for the house servants.

 

[R. Porter]

Wow, for a minute there when I started reading I thought you were going to say that first house was yours and I was starting to wonder how I could be invited for a visit!

 

[UCVRelics]

Wow, for a minute there when I started reading I thought you were going to say that first house was yours and I was starting to wonder how I could be invited for a visit!

There is NO WAY even if it was given to me as I know 2 different folks that have them here and twice a year they climb up on the roof and pour buckets of money down the chimneys.

 

[UCVRelics]

Our next stop was at Gaineswood which is one of the top 2 plantations here. It was used as Gen Polk's HQ while he was here in the winter of 1863 - spring of 1864.

Gaineswood National Historic Landmark - Encyclopedia of Alabama

Gaineswood, a historic house located in Demopolis, Marengo County, is an important example of Greek Revival architecture because it demonstrates the interpretations by Gen. Nathan Bryan Whitfield, an amateur designer, of the prevailing architectural style of his day. Gaineswood exemplifies the...

encyclopediaofalabama.org

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

There is NO WAY even if it was given to me as I know 2 different folks that have them here and twice a year they climb up on the roof and pour buckets of money down the chimneys.

Gawd yes.
Give me a new house any day.

When I lived in Natchez for about 20 years, I knew more than a few folks that owned antebellum property..

They all said the same thing..
There's always something breaking down.

And the parts needed weren't at the local Ace Hardware or Home depot.

 

[R. Porter]

I can see where a few buckets of oil or latex money needs to be poured on this last one. I'm beginning to think the Civil War was started so that a bunch of folks could live in some houses for a while that they couldn't afford to own themselves.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

I can see where a few buckets of oil or latex money needs to be poured on this last one. I'm beginning to think the Civil War was started so that a bunch of folks could live in some houses for a while that they couldn't afford to own themselves.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

That's exactly what happens.

The descendants try to sell the property ,
And the buyer has no idea what they just signed up for....

 

[UCVRelics]

Our next stop was our beautiful downtown square park which still retains its original name and our CS monument is still standing.

 

[rebel brit]

Our first visit to Demopolis and it was a fantastic day. Many thanks Richard for showing us around and giving us such a great guided tour of your home town.

 

[R. Porter]

Are those actual Confederate cannon tubes and cannon balls?

 

[rebel brit]

Now that I'm back home, I've started sorting through my pics and here's a few I took in Demopolis when I met up with @UCVRelics

Are those actual Confederate cannon tubes and cannon balls?

I believe so, but not certain, perhaps Richard knows the answer.
He did tell me that there used to be a statue on the plinth but it was knocked off by a car and replaced by the obelisk.

Gaineswood

Thanks again Richard for showing us around your beautiful city.