Raphael Semmes House
Raphael Semmes House | |
30°41′12″N 88°3′8″W / 30.68667°N 88.05222°W / 30.68667; -88.05222 | |
Built | 1858 |
---|---|
Architect | Peter Horta |
Architectural style | Federal, Greek Revival |
NRHP reference No. | 70000110[1] |
Added to NRHP | February 26, 1970 |
The Raphael Semmes House, also known as the Horta–Semmes House, is a historic residence in Mobile, Alabama. It is best known for having been the home of Admiral Raphael Semmes, captain of the Confederate sloop-of-war CSS Alabama. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 26, 1970.[1]
History
The Raphael Semmes House was built by its first owner, Peter Horta, in 1858.[1] The structure was purchased in 1871 by the citizens of Mobile and presented to Raphael Semmes. Semmes lived here until his death in 1877. In the mid-twentieth century Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Linyer Bedsole purchased and restored the house, donating it on April 22, 1946, to the First Baptist Church of Mobile situated next door. It was given in memory of their son, Lt. Joseph Linyer Bedsole, Jr., who was killed in action over Germany during World War II.[2][3]
Architecture
The overall exterior design of the two-story brick townhouse is in a simple Federal style, with a Greek Revival entrance doorway and surround. The front (south) facade is adorned with a full-width cast iron porch across the ground floor, added in the 1870s. The ironwork features a floral design motif. Due to the narrow city lot upon which it was built, the house is much longer than it is wide. The main body of the house measures approximately 30 feet (9.1 m) wide by 40 feet (12 m) deep. A two-story rear ell is attached to the northwest corner of the main house and measures approximately 15 feet (4.6 m) wide by 27 feet (8.2 m) deep, extending the entire depth of the house to 67 feet (20 m). The ell served as the service wing and was fronted on the courtyard side by wooden galleries on both floors that adjoined the matching rear galleries of the main house.[3]
The interior layout features a stair hall on the west side of the house, on both floors. The stairway is mahogany with turned spindles. The stair hall opens onto a parlor and dining room on the first floor and three bedrooms on the second floor. The parlor and dining room both retain their original black marble mantles. The service ell contains a kitchen and storage room on the first floor and two servant rooms on the second.[3]
References
- ^ a b c "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ "Joseph Linyer Bedsole". Alabama Academy of Honor. Alabama Department of Archives and History. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
- ^ a b c "Horta–Semmes House & Fence". Historic American Buildings Survey. National Park Service. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
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Landmarks
- Government Street Presbyterian Church
- Mobile City Hall
- USS Alabama
- USS Drum
districts
- Africatown Historic District
- Ashland Place Historic District
- The Campground
- Church Street East Historic District
- Common Street District
- Convent and Academy of the Visitation
- De Tonti Square Historic District
- Leinkauf Historic District
- Lower Dauphin Street Historic District
- Maysville Historic District
- Midtown Historic District
- Oakleigh Garden Historic District
- Old Dauphin Way Historic District
properties
- Aimwell Baptist Church
- Wade Askew House
- Azalea Court Apartments
- Barton Academy
- Battle House Royale
- Beal–Gaillard House
- Bettie Hunter House
- Bragg–Mitchell Mansion
- Brisk & Jacobson Store
- Caldwell School
- Carlen House
- Carolina Hall
- Cavallero House
- Center–Gaillard House
- U. J. Cleveland House
- Coley Building
- Collins–Marston House
- Collins–Robinson House
- Convent of Mercy
- D'Iberville Apartments
- Dahm House
- Davis Avenue Branch, Mobile Public Library
- Davis Avenue Recreation Center
- Denby House
- Emanuel AME Church
- Emanuel Building
- George Fearn House
- Fire Station No. 5
- First National Bank
- Fort Charlotte
- Gates–Daves House
- Georgia Cottage
- Greene–Marston House
- Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Passenger Terminal
- Hawthorn House
- Martin Horst House
- International Longshoreman's Association Hall
- Joseph Jossen House
- Kirkbride House
- George Levy House
- Martin Lindsey House
- Magnolia Cemetery
- Meaher–Zoghby House
- Ernest Megginson House
- Metzger House
- Miller–O'Donnell House
- Mobile City Hospital
- Monterey Place
- James Arthur Morrison House
- Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church No.1
- Murphy High School
- Neville House
- Oakleigh
- Paterson House
- J. E. Paterson House
- Dave Patton House
- Pfau–Crichton Cottage
- Phillipi House
- Pincus Building
- Bishop Portier House
- Protestant Children's Home
- Roberts House
- Ross Knox House
- St. Francis Street Methodist Church
- Saint Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church
- Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic Church
- St. Louis Street Missionary Baptist Church
- Saint Matthew's Catholic Church
- Saint Paul's Episcopal Chapel
- Saint Vincent de Paul
- Scottish Rite Temple
- Raphael Semmes House
- Sodality Chapel
- South Lafayette Street Creole Cottages
- Robert L. Spotswood House
- Spring Hill College Quadrangle
- State Street AME Zion Church
- Amelia Stewart House
- Stewartfield
- Stone Street Baptist Church
- Stone Street Cemetery
- Trinity Episcopal Church
- Tschiener House
- Turner-Todd Motor Company
- United States Court House and Custom House
- United States Marine Hospital
- Arthur VanderSys House
- Jacob VanderSys House
- Vickers and Schumacher Buildings
- Joseph M. Walker House
- Weems House
submissions