Vestavia (estate)

Vestavia was an Roman-inspired estate constructed by George Ward on the summit of Shades Mountain. Built in 1925, the home was modeled on the Temple of Vesta in Rome. The estate was designed by William Leslie Welton.

Ward also built elaborate gardens next to the house, including carved hedges, ponds, and a statuary. He also built templelike houses for three dogs on the property. The focal point for the gardens was the Sibyl Temple, a garden gazebo which was to serve as the monumental headstone for Ward's grave. However, Jefferson County law changed and prevented him from being buried there; he is interred at Elmwood Cemetery instead.

Vestavia was an attraction among Birmingham residents. Ward held numerous garden parties there, where servants would dress as Roman soldiers and guests would come wearing togas. Local residents would also drive near the home, and Ward occasionally had public tours of his estate.

After his death in 1940, developer Charles Byrd purchased the estate and opened a restaurant. Byrd renovated the deteriorating estate and removed the chandelier and benches from the Sibyl Temple. The area around the home grew as the City of Vestavia Hills incorporated in 1950. In 1950, Vestavia Hills Baptist Church purchased the property of the estate and worshipped on the site.

Demolition and Relocation of Sibyl Temple

In 1971, Vestavia Hills Baptist demolished the home to build a new sanctuary for the church.

The church donated the Sibyl Temple to the Vestavia Hills Garden Club, who moved it to its current location on the mountain at Highway 31. The Temple serves as a silhouette for the city of Vestavia Hills, marking the northern entrance into the city. The temple has suffered from deterioration due to the elements as well as some vandals, but was recently restored and opened again to the public.

References

• Cindy Riley, "Vestavia's Sibyl Temple", Alabama Heritage Summer 2004.