John Looney House and Pioneer Museum: Difference between revisions
(New page: The ''John Looney House and Pioneer Museum''' is a two-story dog-trot house constructed about 1820 by John Looney after he relocated his family from Maury County, Tennessee to [[Be...) |
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The ''John Looney House and Pioneer Museum''' is a two-story dog-trot house constructed about [[1820]] by [[John Looney]] after | The '''John Looney House and Pioneer Museum''' is a two-story dog-trot house constructed about [[1820]] by [[John Looney]] and his family after they relocated from Maury County, Tennessee in [[1817]]. They settled on a 900-acre tract in [[Beaver Valley]], west of the [[Coosa River]] in the vicinity of what is now [[Ashville]] in [[St Clair County]]. The house is located at 4187 Greensport Road ([[St Clair County Highway 24]]). | ||
The log house | Looney had three sons old enough to help with the construction, and also owned several slaves. The 19-foot x 48-foot log house was constructed on a foundation of locally-quarried stone spanned by cedar sill beams. The walls are stacks of 12-18" squared pine logs dovetailed at the corners and pegged with dowels. The floors are planed heart pine. Large fireplaces heated each lower room and the chimneys at each end were constructed of hand-pressed brick in a Flemish bond. The open dog-trot allowed air to circulate throughout the house and provided a two-level covered breezeway for shelter during hot or rainy days. The roof, framed with hand-hewn timbers, is finished with handsplit wood shakes. Soon after it was completed the entire cabin was moved to higher ground after a flood. | ||
The property was purchased by [[John | After John Looney's death his oldest son [[Henry Looney|Henry]] kept the house with his wife [[Jane Looney|Jane]]. The property was purchased by [[John Lonnergan]] in [[18882]]. His descendants added a wing and lean-to porch onto the back and clad the house with sawn boards. They sold it to Colonel [[Joseph Creitz]] in [[1949]]. He deeded it to the newly-formed [[St Clair Historical Society]] effective [[September 16]], [[1972]]. | ||
The | The society immediately began to restore the deteriorating house, hiring J. T. Bullock of Gadsden to supervise. The society installed period furnishings and historical displays and continues to maintain the house and museum. It was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in [[1974]]. The society opens the house for tours one weekend each month and hosts an annual [[St Clair County Fall Festival]] there each October. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
* Crow, Mattie Lou Teague ( ) ''History of the Looney House in St. Clair County, Alabama''. St Clair Historical Society | |||
* Hopper, Jack (October 31, 1972) "Beaver Valley restores log cabin." ''Birmingham News'' | |||
* Coman, Victoria L. (October 7, 2009) "St. Clair group hosts festival at historic John Looney House." ''Birmingham News'' | * Coman, Victoria L. (October 7, 2009) "St. Clair group hosts festival at historic John Looney House." ''Birmingham News'' | ||
Revision as of 20:34, 8 October 2009
The John Looney House and Pioneer Museum is a two-story dog-trot house constructed about 1820 by John Looney and his family after they relocated from Maury County, Tennessee in 1817. They settled on a 900-acre tract in Beaver Valley, west of the Coosa River in the vicinity of what is now Ashville in St Clair County. The house is located at 4187 Greensport Road (St Clair County Highway 24).
Looney had three sons old enough to help with the construction, and also owned several slaves. The 19-foot x 48-foot log house was constructed on a foundation of locally-quarried stone spanned by cedar sill beams. The walls are stacks of 12-18" squared pine logs dovetailed at the corners and pegged with dowels. The floors are planed heart pine. Large fireplaces heated each lower room and the chimneys at each end were constructed of hand-pressed brick in a Flemish bond. The open dog-trot allowed air to circulate throughout the house and provided a two-level covered breezeway for shelter during hot or rainy days. The roof, framed with hand-hewn timbers, is finished with handsplit wood shakes. Soon after it was completed the entire cabin was moved to higher ground after a flood.
After John Looney's death his oldest son Henry kept the house with his wife Jane. The property was purchased by John Lonnergan in 18882. His descendants added a wing and lean-to porch onto the back and clad the house with sawn boards. They sold it to Colonel Joseph Creitz in 1949. He deeded it to the newly-formed St Clair Historical Society effective September 16, 1972.
The society immediately began to restore the deteriorating house, hiring J. T. Bullock of Gadsden to supervise. The society installed period furnishings and historical displays and continues to maintain the house and museum. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The society opens the house for tours one weekend each month and hosts an annual St Clair County Fall Festival there each October.
References
- Crow, Mattie Lou Teague ( ) History of the Looney House in St. Clair County, Alabama. St Clair Historical Society
- Hopper, Jack (October 31, 1972) "Beaver Valley restores log cabin." Birmingham News
- Coman, Victoria L. (October 7, 2009) "St. Clair group hosts festival at historic John Looney House." Birmingham News
External links
- St Clair Historical Society website