Hall House, 165 Saint Emanuel Street, Mobile

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ALA,49-MOBI,47-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

residences in nineteenth-century Mobile. Substantially unaltered, the house is one of the oldest existing structures in the area. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: c. 2. Architect: Unknown 3. Original and subsequent owners: Unverified local tradition relates that the existing house incorporates part of a previous house that may have been constructed by William R. Hallett in It is said that the earlier house had been partially destroyed by fire when Hallett sold the property to Edward Hall in No physical evidence has been found that would indicate the incorporation of a previous building into the existing structure, which was apparently built by Hall shortly after he purchased the property.

The following chain of title was extracted from Ithe deed books of the Probate Court Record Division, Mobile County. Deed January 20, in Book K page 178 Addin Lewis to William R. Hallett (Lot 66' x AN ADDENDUM TO FORD HOUSE HABS No. ALA-46 (Page #f U Deed December 31, in Book N page 146 William R. Hallett At/n t0 H^- Moe-t Edward Hall (Lot 66' x "'* Deed July 4, in Book 7 page 191 Edward Hall to Isaac D. Spear (Lot x The heirs of Isaac Spear maintained the property until when it passed to Ellen Quinn. Her son, Thomas A. Ford, held the title until his death in it is now in possession of his heirs. 4. Builder or contractor: Unknown B.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS ALA,49-MOBI,47-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

1. Primary and unpublished sources: Lewis Troost Map (c. City Hall, Mobile Mobile Deed Books, Probate Court Record Division, Mobile County 2, Secondary and published sources: Glennon, John F., and Rosemary Glennon, Where Time Bears Witness to Sound Building, Mobile: First National Bank, Nineteenth Century Mobile Architecture^ An Inventory of Existing Buildings, Mobile: Mobile City Planning Commission (unpublished manuscript to be published Prepared by Linda Carroll Student Historian August 29, and Charles A. Herrington Architectural Historian National Park Service July 31, AN ADDENDUM TO FORD HOUSE HABS No. ALA-46 (Page PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION A. General Statement: 1.

Architectural character: This house is an excellent example of the adaptation of the Greek Revival style to an indigenous building type, the raised "Creole Cottage". Restrained, and of good proportions, the structure is unusual in Mobile, in that the frame cottage is raised on a full-height masonry basement that is completely habitable. It is also one of the few remaining houses in Mobile that has two service wings, thereby creating a patio enclosed on three sides. 2. Condition of fabric: The structure is sound, but not well- maintained at present. B. Description of Exterior: 1. Over-all dimensions: This is a two-and-a-half story house, with all floors habitable. The attached and detached wings, together with the main rectangular block, form a "U"-shaped plan.

A two-story irregular addition on the northeast corner is not considered in this description. The house measures (five-bays) on the west front, on the north side, and on the south side. The height of the roof ridge is above grade. 2. Foundations: Although not accessible, the foundations are presumed to be brick. 3. Wall construction, finish and color: The first floor of the main section is brick covered by scored stucco to resemble ashlar construction. On the detached service wing, the scored stucco is carried only to window sill height, with exposed red brick above. All other walls on the upper stories are horizontal siding, except on the west front, where the wood is covered with smooth stucco, in accordance with local custom.

Except for the exposed red brick on the service wing, all surfaces are painted yellow ochre. 4. Structural system, framing: Brick masonry bearing walls on the first floor support an ordinary wooden frame construction above. 5. Porches, stoops, bulkheads: There is a two-story columnar porch running the full width Of the building on the west front. Made of wood and fluted, the columns are of the Doric Order, although those on the first story rest on squat AN ADDENDUM TO .. FORD HOUSE a7. HABS No. ALA-46 (PagejW brick, piers and have simplified capitals. There is a balustrade with small square balusters on the second floor. In the rear, there is a two-story wooden gallery on all three sides of the patio.

On the south wing, the gallery is cantilevered; the other sections are supported by stuccoed brick piers on the first floor, and smooth wooden Doric columns on the second floor. Exterior wooden stairs give access to the second floor from the patio. On the south side of the patio is a wooden bulkhead covering steps which lead down to the cellar. 6. Chimneys: There are two stuccoed brick chimneys on both the north and south sides of the house; the tops are mitred and each has three flues. There is also a centrally located chimney on each of the service wings. 7. Openings: a. Doorways and doors: The entrance doorway on the west front is set deep within the brick wall and has no face trim. The double wooden doors have two panels, the upper being glazed with a single light.

The doors are flanked by slender fluted Doric columns, narrow sidelights, and a Doric pilaster applied to the jatnb reveal. The soffits are panelled. The sidelights consist on three colored lights over a fixed louvered panel that is solid on the interior. The plane of the door is set deeper in the reveal than are the sidelights. A heavy architrave is framed over the door and sidelights, above which is a transom of five colored and figured lights. Framed inside the small columns flanking the doors is a vertical member supporting a pair of louvered wood shutters. When these are open, the columns and sidelights are hidden from view. On the second floor, the scale and basic elements of the doorway leading to the porch are identical.

The slender columns are not repeated, however, and the doorway is framed by beaded mouldings with bull's eyes at the intersections. The glazing is clear, and the doors are solid, with four panels each. b. Windows and shutters: All windows are double-hung wooden sash with six-over-six lights. There are low Dutch doors under the windows on the second floor of the porch, making them floor-length openings. All wooden sills and frames are small and absolutely plain. Each opening has adjustable louvered wooden shutters. AN ADDENDUM TO 40 f-fi FORD HOUSE HABS No. ALA-46 (Page 5% 8. Roof: a. Shape, covering: There is a gabled roof over the main block which kicks off over the front porch and rear gallery.

The rear attached service wing has a gabled roof that intersects that of the main section, and the detached wing has a single pitched roof. All roofs are covered with asphalt shingles. b. Cornice, eaves: The eaves are flush on the gable ends with no overhang, and finished with a simple unmoulded cornice board. c. Dormers: There are three dormers on the west front and two on the east rear. Pedimented, and framed by small fluted pilasters, they were originally all shuttered. C. Description of Interior: 1. Floor plans: The house has a central hall plan, with two equal rooms on each side of the house. On the first floor, the rooms on each side are interconnected by hinged double doors, as are those of the second floor.

On the third floor under the roof, there are two equal rooms on each side and the west end of the hall is enclosed to form another room. The first floor of the attached service wing (north) consists of two inter- connected rooms in a line with openings on the patio. The second floor is similar. The detached wing (south) has two rooms in line and an open carriageway, which has now been enclosed. On the second floor, there are four rooms in a line. 2. Stairways: The main interior stairway is located at the rear of the hall and consists of a double flight on each floor. Slender turned balusters spiral at the bottom of the first floor and form the balustrade on all floors. Scrollwork is applied on the carriage and facing of the stairwell. 3.

Flooring: The flooring throughout is random-width pine boards. 4. Wall and ceiling finish: All walls and ceilings are painted plaster. 5. Doorways and doors: The single interior doors are all wooden, with four horizontal panels. Lock rails are 12" and the widest framing members. The double doors are similar, except # that they have five panels. 6. Special decorative features, trim: There is very little decorative detailing on the interior. Door and window trim AN ADDENDUM TO * t< < FORD HOUSE 47" '" HABS No. ALA-4B (Page ^g consists of flat fillets; windows on the first floor have wooden panels below the sill line and simple picture mouldings are used on the walls. The window jambs slant.

7, Notable hardware: Heavy locks on the hall door bear the inscription: "Carpenter and Company, Patentees." These also bear the coat of arms of Great Britain, including the rampant lion and unicorn. The shutters hinges are "Z"-shaped with pintles. 8. Mechanical equipment: a. Heating: Modern gas space heaters have been installed. The original fireplaces on the first floor have black marble mantlepieces with cast-iron grates. Fluted marble pilasters support an entablature consisting of a flat center panel flanked by widely swelling "SM profiles. b. Lighting: No original fixtures remain, and modern electric fixtures have been installed. D. Site: 1. General setting and orientation: The house is situated on the northeast corner of St. Emanuel and Monroe Streets, facing west.

In one of the oldest sections of Mobile, now part of the Church Street East Historic District, the house is located one block south of the site of Fort Conde, the French forti- fication that once protected the city. Plans have been formulated for the development of this area as a museum complex of nineteenth-century Mobile architecture. 2. Landscaping: The enclosed patio on the rear is paved with modern cement, and the head of the original cistern protrudes near the southwest corner of the detached service wing. The front and part of the side yards are enclosed with a cast- iron fence set on a stuccoed brick wall, capped with red limestone. This fence was undoubtedly added in the or 3. Outbuildings: There are no outbuildings other than the original service wings and later additions.

AN ADDENDUM TO FORD HOUSE . HABS No. ALA-46 (Page -?V i\if\ ti ^ ft o & i ! Prepared by Woodrow W. Wilkins Supervising Architect National Park Service August 12, and Charles A. Herrington Architectural Historian National Park Service July 31, PART III. PROJECT INFORMATION 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, specifically 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 Thigpen, 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.