Georgia Cottage, also known as the Augusta Evans Wilson House, is a historic residence in Mobile, Alabama, United States. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 14, 1972, based on its association with Augusta Jane Evans.[1] She was one of the most popular American novelists of the nineteenth century and the first female author in the United States to earn over $100,000 for her work, but has been largely forgotten in recent times.[2][3][4]
Colonel John Murrell of Georgia had the Greek Revival style house built in 1840 for his daughter, Mrs. William A. Hardaway. It was then sold in 1855 to Alfred Batre, son of Adolphe Batre, Mobile Mayor (1830), who purchased it for his new bride Hortense Addison, daughter of Lloyd Dulany Addison of the Oxon Hill Manor Addison's.[5]Augusta Jane Evans purchased the house from Batre in 1857 for her father, Matthew R. Evans, with the proceeds from her first book, Inez: A Tale of the Alamo. Matthew Evans had relocated his family to Mobile from San Antonio, Texas in 1849.[6] The Batre's would move into 110 S Franklin Street, then 400 Church Street.
Augusta Evans went on to write two of her most famous novels at Georgia Cottage, Macaria and St. Elmo. She married Lorenzo Madison Wilson in the parlor of the house in 1868. Following her marriage she moved into her husband's Greek Revival mansion, Ashland, namesake of the modern Ashland Place neighborhood. Georgia Cottage remained in the Evans family until 1879, when it was sold to Andrew Damrell. Damrell's heirs sold it in 1926 to J.N. Brownlee, and it was subsequently purchased by Dr. Edward Simmons Sledge in 1935.[2][6]
Although now deep within the Mobile city limits, Georgia Cottage was a country house when originally built. Slave labor was utilized in its construction.[6]
The one-story wood-frame structure, on a brick foundation, is a stylistic blending of Gulf Coast cottage and Greek Revival forms. It has matching side wings to each side of the main block and a hipped roof.[6]
The house is situated at the end of a long avenue of live oaks, planted prior to 1840. The avenue is listed with Alabama's Famous and Historic Trees Program.[8]
^ ab"Augusta Jane Evans Wilson". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Alabama Humanities Foundation and Auburn University. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
^"Augusta Jane Evans (Wilson) (1835-1909)". New Encyclopedia of Georgia. Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
^Sledge, John (2003). "Augusta Jane Evans". The American Center for Artists. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
^ abcd"Hardaway-Wilson House (Georgia Cottage)" (PDF). Historic American Buildings Survey. National Park Service. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
^"Eugene B. Sledge". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
^(PDF). Alabama Forestry Commission. Archived from the original on November 20, 2008. Retrieved 2009-03-13.
April 13, 2024
georgia, cottage, also, known, augusta, evans, wilson, house, historic, residence, mobile, alabama, united, states, added, national, register, historic, places, september, 1972, based, association, with, augusta, jane, evans, most, popular, american, novelists. Georgia Cottage also known as the Augusta Evans Wilson House is a historic residence in Mobile Alabama United States It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 14 1972 based on its association with Augusta Jane Evans 1 She was one of the most popular American novelists of the nineteenth century and the first female author in the United States to earn over 100 000 for her work but has been largely forgotten in recent times 2 3 4 Georgia CottageU S National Register of Historic PlacesHABS photo of Georgia Cottage in 1963Show map of Mobile AlabamaShow map of AlabamaShow map of the United StatesLocation2564 Springhill AvenueMobile AlabamaCoordinates30 41 47 N 88 6 0 W 30 69639 N 88 10000 W 30 69639 88 10000Area6 acres 2 4 ha Built1840Architectural styleGreek RevivalNRHP reference No 72000170 1 Added to NRHPSeptember 14 1972History editColonel John Murrell of Georgia had the Greek Revival style house built in 1840 for his daughter Mrs William A Hardaway It was then sold in 1855 to Alfred Batre son of Adolphe Batre Mobile Mayor 1830 who purchased it for his new bride Hortense Addison daughter of Lloyd Dulany Addison of the Oxon Hill Manor Addison s 5 Augusta Jane Evans purchased the house from Batre in 1857 for her father Matthew R Evans with the proceeds from her first book Inez A Tale of the Alamo Matthew Evans had relocated his family to Mobile from San Antonio Texas in 1849 6 The Batre s would move into 110 S Franklin Street then 400 Church Street Augusta Evans went on to write two of her most famous novels at Georgia Cottage Macaria and St Elmo She married Lorenzo Madison Wilson in the parlor of the house in 1868 Following her marriage she moved into her husband s Greek Revival mansion Ashland namesake of the modern Ashland Place neighborhood Georgia Cottage remained in the Evans family until 1879 when it was sold to Andrew Damrell Damrell s heirs sold it in 1926 to J N Brownlee and it was subsequently purchased by Dr Edward Simmons Sledge in 1935 2 6 Dr Sledge s son Eugene Bondurant Sledge grew up at Georgia Cottage He served in the United States Marines during World War II and became a noted university professor and author His memoir With the Old Breed At Peleliu and Okinawa was in part the basis for Ken Burn s PBS documentary The War and the HBO miniseries The Pacific 7 Architecture and grounds editAlthough now deep within the Mobile city limits Georgia Cottage was a country house when originally built Slave labor was utilized in its construction 6 The one story wood frame structure on a brick foundation is a stylistic blending of Gulf Coast cottage and Greek Revival forms It has matching side wings to each side of the main block and a hipped roof 6 The house is situated at the end of a long avenue of live oaks planted prior to 1840 The avenue is listed with Alabama s Famous and Historic Trees Program 8 References edit a b National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service July 9 2010 a b Augusta Jane Evans Wilson Encyclopedia of Alabama Alabama Humanities Foundation and Auburn University Retrieved 2009 08 18 Augusta Jane Evans Wilson 1835 1909 New Encyclopedia of Georgia Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press Retrieved 2009 08 18 Sledge John 2003 Augusta Jane Evans The American Center for Artists Retrieved 2009 08 18 http nscda org wp content uploads 2014 05 AL Our Founding Mothers pdf bare URL PDF a b c d Hardaway Wilson House Georgia Cottage PDF Historic American Buildings Survey National Park Service Retrieved 2009 08 18 Eugene B Sledge Encyclopedia of Alabama Retrieved 2009 08 18 Alabama s Famous amp Historic Trees Program 2003 PDF Alabama Forestry Commission Archived from the original on November 20 2008 Retrieved 2009 03 13 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Georgia Cottage amp oldid 1175442303, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
