Information on file at the local library indicates that this home may have been built in 1832, making it one of the oldest in town. Further fact-checking is needed, but I am hopeful others with information on this home (across from Brookhaven Elementary) might see this and offer up in the comments section what they know of its history.
Someone in the state Archives emailed a friend and said the records on this house has it being built "circa 1860." More research needed, but even at 1860, it still squeaks by as "ante-bellum!"
ReplyDeleteMolly, this home was owned by Paul Watson when you and I were children. Paul was a cousin to my mother, Nelda Shaw Furlow, best known as Sugar. Paul owned the ice cream parlor on Cherokee Street. Every Christmas, The Watsons would have a Christmas party for the children in the special needs class from Brookhaven Elementary, which was located across the street from their home. This has always been one of my favorite Brookhaven homes.
ReplyDeleteIf I am not mistaken the people living here had a parrot. I lived around the corner at 216 Chickasaw Street in the Presbyterian Manse in the mid '40s. My dad was the pastor. A family next door to us at 218 Chickasaw named McClure were renting Grace Noble's house. They had two sons, one named Charles. About supper time Mrs. McClure would call her sons to come in from play. I can hear her calling,"Charles, Charles, Charles." Somehow the parrot learned to call Charles too! And we would hear that coming from this house up on the hill.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the picture of this house I had a flash back to one Halloween night in the late '40s or early '50s. A bunch of us were out on the prowl doing trick or treat for real! We found an old tire and had it ready to roll down the street in front of this house. When car lights showed up coming up the hill, I let 'er roll. It hit the front bumper and went straight up in the air about 20 feet. Buddy Watts was standing by me and we took off running to the right side of this house. When we got to the back yard I dove into an opening in the hedge with Buddy right behind me. It had a hog wire fence on the other side just as I hit it he slammed into me. We just lay there for a while expecting the police to come searching for us but they never came. We sheepishly went on home ending our tricking for the night. How's that for true confession of of PK (preacher's kid) living up to the reputation! Buddy, rest in peace now! Bill McAtee