Gates-Daves House, 1570-1572 Dauphin Street, Mobile

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ALA,49-MOBI,131-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

cottage with long low proportions. Few examples of this type remain in Mobile. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: c. 2. Architect: Unknown 3. Original and subsequent owners: The site on which this house stands was originally part of the Spanish land grant made to Antonio Espejo. Although local tradition asserts that the present structure was constructed by Hezekiah Gates, who purchased the property in from Charles Dellinger, the price obtained for the property might indi- cate that this hous^, or perhaps another, had already been constructed. The following chain of title was extracted from the deed books of the Probate Court Record Division, Mobile County.

Deed March 20, in Book OS 2 page 306 Charles Dellinger to Hezekiah Gates Deed May 6, in Book 1 page 435 Adele Gates to Camelia Bull acres) GATES-DAVES HOUSE HABS No. ALA-799 (Page 2) Deed July 23, in Book 10 page 434 A Lft Camelia Bull ' . to |4-Moft/ Thomas H. Daves 13! acres) The Daves family has maintained ownership of the west 100 feet of the property until the present day; the east 50 feet was sold in to George A. Henry. This sale divided the house itself in the middle and it became a two-family dwelling. B.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ALA,49-MOBI,131-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

1. Primary and unpublished sources: Mobile Deed Books, Probate Court Record Division, Mobile County Lewis Troost Map (c. City Hall, Mobile 2. Secondary and published sources: Glennon, John F., and Rosemary Glennon, Where Time Bears Witness to Sound Building. Mobile, First National Bank, Prepared by Linda Carroll Student Historian August 29, and Charles A. Herrington Architectural Historian National Park Service July 10, PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1.

Architectural character: This type of house, with low proportions and a gallery running the full length of a long facade with French doors, is locally referred to as the "Creole plantation type." Suited more to the country than to the space limitations of a city lot, this type of structure is uncommon in Mobile and is probably the best remaining example. GATES-DAVES HOUSE HABS No. ALA-799 (Page 3) 2. Condition of fabric: In general, the house is deterio- rating but still appears structurally sound. ALA Us . /^o A, B. Description of Exterior: x,, . 1. Over-all dimensions: This is a one-story building with an approximately rectangular main section and two rear wings. Measuring approximately 57' x excluding the wings, the south front consists of seven bays and the sides of two. 2.

Foundations: In general, the frame construction rests on low brick piers. There is a low brick cellar under the western portion of the main section, and cinder blocks have replaced the bricks under the eastern rear wing. 3. Wall construction, finish and color: A frame construction with clapboarding painted white (badly flaked), the front (south) elevation under the full-length gallery has flush boards, plastered and painted white and a moulded 9" base- board painted green. A shed addition to the western rear wing has vertical boards and battens. 4.

Porches, stoops, etc.: A gallery with chamfered rectangu- lar wooden posts, moulded handrail and square balusters runs the entire length of the south front and is covered by a continuation of the front pitch of the gable roof of the main section of the house. Access to the gallery is provided in the center bay by concrete steps with cheeks. 5. Chimneys: There are four brick chimneys, one at each gable end of the main section rising to the ridge, another projecting through the ridge in the third bay from the west, and the fourth on the exterior (north wall) of the western rear wing. The three exterior chimneys rise from the ground to a height of and then recede in a series of steps to form a smaller section (approximately 2* square) that rises to the roof.

The interior chimney has a mitred cap. 6. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: Seven double doors give access from the gallery to the interior rooms; each leaf of these doors has eight lights (two vertical rows) and a wooden panel below. All except the center door have exterior full-length wooden, louvered shutters painted green. The center door has eight-light side lights (two vertical rows) with wooden panels below and a seven- light transom. All doors have simple wooden frames ex- GATES-DAVES HOUSE W-fftc&i HABS No. ALA-799 (Page 4) cept the center door, which has simple moulded frames. The west rear wing has a two-panel (vertical) wooden door painted brown with an enamel door knob (the stair- case to this door has been removed).

The east rear wing has two-panel (horizontal) unpainted doors. An exterior door in the center of the rear is wooden with a large glazed panel and three wooden panels below. b. Windows and shutters: Windows of the main section and the west rear wing are double-hung wooden sash with nine- over-six and six-over-six lights and wooden louvered shutters painted green. On the east rear wing there are modern louvered windows in aluminum frames. 7. Roof: a. Shape, covering: Covering the main section is a gable roof with asbestos shingles (put on c. The western rear wing has gable and shed roofs with tin and tar paper covering. The shed roof of the eastern wing is covered with asbestos (composition) tar paper sheets. b.

Cornice, eaves: There is a simple moulded wooden cornice on the sides and rear of the main section, but no cornice on the front, plastered elevation. The western rear wing has narrower moulded wooden cornice and the eastern rear wing has a plain wooden eave. (According to G.A, Henry, who resided here, this eastern wing was added c. and is exactly the same size and shape of a previous wing.) c. Dormers: None C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: This is a central hall plan, with irregular distribution of rooms, the two sides being unevenly divided as two dwellings. Evidence seems to point to the fact that the house was built in two stages, the original being the eastern five bays.

The existence of the interior chimney and the basement under the two western bays would indicate that they were added later; thus, the house originally would not have had a central hall plan, 2. Stairways: None 3. Flooring: There is approximately 6" width pine board floor- ing. GATES-DAVES HOUSE HABS No. ALA-799 (Page 5) /HA 4. Wall and ceiling finish: In the main section, the walls ^ and ceiling are papered (pastel floral designs). The L3! western rear wing has plastered walls, and the eastern wing has vertical pine boards (facing). 5. Doorways and doors: There are wide six-panelled wooden doors. 6. Special decorative features and trim: In the west room of the main section, there is a relatively shallow arched alcove.

Moulded wooden baseboards are relatively plain and about 9" high; windows are framed by plain wooden mouldings. Wooden fireplace mantles have simple classic pilasters and plaster surrounds. 7. Notable hardware: There are several box locks; other locks are later replacements and have enamel door knobs. 8. Mechanical equipment: a. Heating: The fireplaces are still in place and gas heaters have been added. b. Lighting: Modern electric lighting has been installed. D. Site: 1. General setting and orientation: The house is on the north side of Dauphin Street facing south, between Monterey and Catherine Streets. In the this area was far outside the city limits and was not developed until much later in the nineteenth century. 2.

Landscaping: There are random cedar, magnolia, and oak trees in front of the house, which sits far back from Dauphin Street. A driveway leads to the front of the house and in the rear, there is a large (approximately deep) garden with fruit and pecan trees. 3. Outbuildings: None observable Prepared by John C. Poppeliers Chief, Historic American Buildings Survey National Park Service August 30, GATES-DAVES HOUSE HABS No. ALA-799 (Page 6) AlA . PART III. PROJECT INFORMATION itf.ffto&i These records were prepared as a cooperative project during the summer of between the Historic American Buildings Survey and various agencies, organizations, and individuals of the City of Mobile. The Historic American Buildings Survey supplied the project supervisor, Woodrow W.

Wilkins, and three draughtsmen, Carl J. Rosenburg (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Michael R. Foil (Auburn University), and Lowell K. West (University of Kentucky). One draughtsman, Elbert L. Coleman (Alabama A & M), was provided by the Mobile Housing Board, which agency administers urban renewal. The services of an additional draughtsman, James Eley, specif ideally designated as an architectural student from Auburn University, were made possible by contributions from numerous local architects and businessmen. The Historic Mobile Preservation Society, in agreement with the History Department of Springhill College, provided a student historian, Linda Carroll. Office space was supplied by the City of Mobile through the City Planning Commission.

Roy Thtgpen, a local photographer, was contracted to supply the photographs. All local arrangements were made by the Mobile Historic Development Commission, Nancy N. Holmes, President. The project was edited during the summer of by Charles A. Herrington, Architectural Historian, in a cooperative effort between the Historic American Buildings Survey and the Mobile Historic Development Commission.