The Greek Revival Brooks residence, Mobile, Alabama

The Greek Revival Brooks residence, Mobile, Alabama

The Brooks residence once located at 108 North Conception Street in Mobile, Alabama. The photo's and drawing date from 1934 and were done by the American Historic Buildings Survey. This beautiful Federal/Greek Revival style center hall home was torn down shortly after the photo's were taken. This Residence is unusual for Mobile at the time as two story columned front home were rare here. A broken porch with one story columns on each level seams to be more popular in Mobile dating from the early 19th century up to 1860. The American Historic Buildings Survey dates this home from the mid 19th entury but I think it was a lot earlier building dating from the 1820's or 30's.

This home could be in Natchez, Mississippi or Charleston, South Carolina. The sides of the building is more in keeping with the earlier Federal style with it's high parapet end with half semicircle windows at the attic level. What makes this house also Greek Revival is the imposing Classical Temple Greek Revival Doric column portico. The building to the left of the home is in the Spanish Revival style and might be a early gas station dating from the 1920's. Ironically cars, Gas stations and parking lot's were the reason masterpieces of Southern architecture like this were torn down for 70 years in Mobile, Alabama.

Detail of wrought iron railing in a pattern known as "Running Dog" popular in the French Quarter and Mobile from the early 19th century until around 1830. Most wrought iron was made by Free-men-of-color blacksmiths on the Gulf Coast. Note the marble tiled portico floor with Greek Key trim. And Quincy granite edging stone.

Beautiful measured drawings of the home and wrought iron.