Fendall Hall
Barbour St., Eufaula, ALFendall Hall is one of Alabama's best examples of antebellum town mansions with considerable Italian influence in its--design".
The house was built during an era of affluence and statewide influence for Eufaula. Cotton was king, and the rich Eufaula region processed thousands of bales yearly and shipped them down the Chattahoochee River to the Gulf of Mexico and points throughout the world. The influential Eufaula Regency was the second most powerful group in the state. Together with Montgomerians they led in Alabama's secession from the Union in 1861.
Fendall Hall was built by Edward Brown Young and Ann Fendall Beall Young and completed in 1854. The timber for the house was cut by his sawmill from trees on his land and allowed to season for two years before the house was built. Two rooms at the back on each side were completed first and the family lived there while the rest of the house was being completed. The house was used as a hospital for Confederate wounded when the regular hospital was filled. E. B. Young was born in New York in 1802, and his parents moved first to Twiggs County, Georgia, and then into Creek Country in 1837. His brother William Young settled in Columbus, Georgia, and founded the Eagle and Phenix Mills.
E. B. Young settled in Eufaula where he built the first toll bridge across the Chattahoochee. This bridge was washed away by flood in 1840. It is told that his hair turned completely white the night of the flood. He was in the hardware business at one time and later established the E. B. Young and Sons Bank on the site of the present Elmore's store, at the corner of Eufaula and Broad Streets. This later became the Irwinton Bridge Bank and then the Eufaula National, Bank. It continued in business until 1901.
Ann Fendall Beall's parents came from Maryland to Irwington, Georgia, near Augusta. The Young's daughter Anna married Captain Stouten Herbert Dent and they purchased Fendall Hall from her parents in the 1880's. Captain Dent came to Eufaula from Maryland to teach school while reading law; he later practiced law. During the War Between the States, he formed a company known as Dent's Artillery.
Local significance of the building:
The house was built during an era of affluence and statewide influence for Eufaula. Cotton was king, and the rich Eufaula region processed thousands of bales yearly and shipped them down the Chattahoochee River to the Gulf of Mexico and points throughout the world. The influential Eufaula Regency was the second most powerful group in the state. Together with Montgomerians they led in Alabama's secession from the Union in 1861.
Fendall Hall was built by Edward Brown Young and Ann Fendall Beall Young and completed in 1854. The timber for the house was cut by his sawmill from trees on his land and allowed to season for two years before the house was built. Two rooms at the back on each side were completed first and the family lived there while the rest of the house was being completed. The house was used as a hospital for Confederate wounded when the regular hospital was filled. E. B. Young was born in New York in 1802, and his parents moved first to Twiggs County, Georgia, and then into Creek Country in 1837. His brother William Young settled in Columbus, Georgia, and founded the Eagle and Phenix Mills.
E. B. Young settled in Eufaula where he built the first toll bridge across the Chattahoochee. This bridge was washed away by flood in 1840. It is told that his hair turned completely white the night of the flood. He was in the hardware business at one time and later established the E. B. Young and Sons Bank on the site of the present Elmore's store, at the corner of Eufaula and Broad Streets. This later became the Irwinton Bridge Bank and then the Eufaula National, Bank. It continued in business until 1901.
Ann Fendall Beall's parents came from Maryland to Irwington, Georgia, near Augusta. The Young's daughter Anna married Captain Stouten Herbert Dent and they purchased Fendall Hall from her parents in the 1880's. Captain Dent came to Eufaula from Maryland to teach school while reading law; he later practiced law. During the War Between the States, he formed a company known as Dent's Artillery.
Architecture
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
About National Register Listings
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.
Alabama is home to the largest cast iron statue in the world. The Vulcan statue, located in Birmingham, stands 56 feet tall and weighs over 100,000 pounds. It was built in 1904 for the St. Louis World's Fair and was later brought to Birmingham as a symbol of the city's industrial might.
About Barbour County
Barbour County Timeline
Barbour County, located in southeastern Alabama, has a rich history that dates back to its establishment in 1832. The region was originally inhabited by the Creek Native American tribe, until the Indian Removal Act of 1830 forced them to relocate westward. The county was named after James Barbour, a U.S. senator and 18th-century Virginia governor.
In the early years, Barbour County's economy was predominantly driven by agriculture. Plantations were established, with cotton being the primary crop cultivated by enslaved African Americans. The county thrived during the antebellum period, but the Civil War brought significant changes. Barbour County experienced the devastating effects of the conflict, with battles taking place in nearby areas and the decline of the plantation system.
Following the war, Barbour County faced the challenges of Reconstruction. The county's economy shifted to focus on timber, mining, and manufacturing, particularly with the establishment of sawmills. The railroad industry also played a crucial role in developing the county, linking it to other parts of Alabama and facilitating trade and transportation.
During the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Barbour County became a site of significant activism and resistance. African Americans, led by prominent local leaders including William T. Baxley and J.L. Chestnut Jr., fought for equal rights and against racial segregation. These efforts led to notable achievements, such as the desegregation of public facilities and the increase in African American political representation.
Today, Barbour County continues to be an agricultural hub, with farming and forestry as important sectors of the local economy. The county's history is celebrated through various heritage festivals and events, reflecting the diverse cultures and influences that have shaped its past.
In the early years, Barbour County's economy was predominantly driven by agriculture. Plantations were established, with cotton being the primary crop cultivated by enslaved African Americans. The county thrived during the antebellum period, but the Civil War brought significant changes. Barbour County experienced the devastating effects of the conflict, with battles taking place in nearby areas and the decline of the plantation system.
Following the war, Barbour County faced the challenges of Reconstruction. The county's economy shifted to focus on timber, mining, and manufacturing, particularly with the establishment of sawmills. The railroad industry also played a crucial role in developing the county, linking it to other parts of Alabama and facilitating trade and transportation.
During the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, Barbour County became a site of significant activism and resistance. African Americans, led by prominent local leaders including William T. Baxley and J.L. Chestnut Jr., fought for equal rights and against racial segregation. These efforts led to notable achievements, such as the desegregation of public facilities and the increase in African American political representation.
Today, Barbour County continues to be an agricultural hub, with farming and forestry as important sectors of the local economy. The county's history is celebrated through various heritage festivals and events, reflecting the diverse cultures and influences that have shaped its past.
Barbour County Timeline
This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Barbour County, Alabama.
- 1832 - Barbour County is created by an act of the Alabama State Legislature.
- 1833 - The county seat is established in Louisville, Alabama.
- 1834 - The first courthouse is completed in Louisville.
- 1863 - During the American Civil War, the county is occupied by Union troops.
- 1868 - The county seat is moved from Louisville to Clayton.
- 1893 - The first railroad, the Alabama Midland Railway, is completed in the county.
- 1903 - The town of Eufaula becomes the largest city in Barbour County.
- 1929 - The Great Depression begins, negatively affecting the county's economy.
- 1941 - Barbour County contributes soldiers to World War II.
- 1965 - Civil rights activism takes place in the county during the Selma to Montgomery marches.
- 2000 - Barbour County's population reaches its peak at over 29,000 residents.