Brennecke House
Arthur Ben Chitty, late historiographer at the University of the South, once called the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity House a "little gem of a building." Modern day owners Mishoe Brennecke and Fred Croom have re-vitalized this Victorian structure.
Its history includes it as a one-time, school and later a fraternity house then private residence. The distinction of the house being the "first house to be built by any fraterinty in the South."
"The original structure contained only two rooms and a porch for it was designed as a meeting and recreation site rather than a home for full-time occupancy." ...Care for detail is evidence in the exterior design of the house with its gingerbread shake exterior, decorated carved relief gables and porch railings, bay bow window, and quadrisided south wall with leaded glass windows in each portion."
"The present location on Alabama Avenue is the third such location for the Phi Delta Theta house. At one time it was located on the corner of "Cemetery" or Georgia Avenue" next to McGriff Alumni House or the former Phi Detla House. It then moved across the street to where duPont Library is now in 1948. Later it was moved once again up the street to its present location when John Tansey bought it 1977
1884
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Selden House
The Selden house was built by Mr. Hayes. It was located on the east side of Alabama Avenue where the Van Ness Music Building is now. (This Building was the U. S. Forestry building. It was built by the U.S. government for _____(?). There needs to be a section on this building.) Various families lived in Selden. [See hand-written note. Unclear.] There was a World War II barracks built next to the Van Ness Music Building that was named Selden because the Selden family once lived on the lot. Colonel Arthur Middleton Rutledge lived there for some time from 1875, and his son went to the University. (He had been the marshall of the procession to the Cornerstone in 1860. Not true? According to ENC.) He had been the donor of 410 acres to the University. He was a trustee from the beginning and a resident of Franklin County before the War. For a while the street [now known as Alabama Avenue] was called Rutledge Avenue. The Tablet in the Chapel is in memory of his son, Arthur, Jr., Valedictorian in 1875.Mrs. Fairbanks wrote in a letter the winter of 1874, "The old Major is marrying a Boston widow", and apparently they moved away soon after. (Who?)The Carruthers in 1877, the Richardsons, and the P. S. Brooks lived here at various times. One of Mrs. Brooks' sons was born here. Mrs. John McCradys lived here from 1883-1885. Professor (was he a Doctor?) John McCrady had died in 1881, four years after he and his family moved into Otey Hall and a month after it burned. The students asked Mrs. McCrady to let them call the hall Pocahontas, as the Kirby-Smith house was Powhatan. She agreed and later the head proctor (a West Pointer) found the reason. They were playing poker in their rooms which was against the rules. Punishment soon followed and the name, Pokerhontas died a natural death. (From Miss Kathleen McCrady).Mrs. Selden, a widow with three sons, took the house in 1890 and all three sons went to college here. Jose (called Joe), a doctor, went to Medical School here and was the town doctor for a few years. He and his brother, Jack, were famous athletes. For many years "Mrs. Selden's" was a popular boarding house for summer visitors. She died in(???) and the University took it over making it the residence of the Dean of St. Luke's (School of Theology) for some time. Dean James lived here, also Dean Brown, and for his one year, Dean Gibson lived here. [ENC says check Gibson's tenure. He was elected Bishop Co? (see hand-written note unclear) in VA] It fell down while it was being moved in 1965 and had to be pulled down the rest of the way.
1869
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Barnwell House
This house was on Alabama Avenue, the third house from the corner where McCrady Hall is now. This lease was taken in 1870 by a Mrs. Louisa Rowland. Apparently she didn't live here long. In 1873 Mrs. E. M. Anderson had the lease. Mrs. Anderson was related to Jefferson Davis, and his wife and daughter were frequent visitors of hers, according to Miss Queenie Washington who often stayed at Bellewood, just two doors away. In 1885 Mrs. Florence Barnwell took over the house and presided as Matron until her death in October 1922. She was a widow with two sons who both went to the University. There are fourteen Barnwells in the Alumni Directory but only two from Sewanee, Walter in 1891, and Bower in 1907. Mrs. Barnwell always wore black with a little lace cap. She was well known by everybody because she played piano for all the informal dances in Forensic “Frenzy” Hall. Her favorites were "When the leaves begin to turn ...," "The Blue Danube," and "When I was single, my pockets did jingle, I wish I were single again ..." She was remembered by the Sewanee community as having an “essential” spirit.
“Old mothers, as they pass with slow-timed steps,
Their trembling hands cling gently to youth’s strength;
Sweet mothers; as they pass, one sees again,
Old garden walks, old roses, and old loves.” –Charles S. Ross.
(Quoted by the Board of Trustees in her remembrance)
This house was pulled down during WWII to make way for Army Barracks. Mr. Douglas Vaughan said his father got some of the lumber from it, unpainted, but solid stuff still. The building has since been turned into University owned apartments and are named Barnwell Apartments after this family.
1870
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Alabama Hall
Mrs. Elizabeth Polk, a relative of Bishop Polk, built this large house in 1871 as a boarding house for students. It stood to the south of the present McCrady Hall on the west side, of Alabama Avenue.
“Next comes widow Polk, a distant cousin of our friends. She is a very nice, common sense, proper, dignified, kindhearted woman and never meddles in other people’s business. She lives in a melancholy, mulatto-colored, wooden house with pink blinds… The front yard is trampled into a desert, only redeemed by the shade trees, a dilapidated rail fence and no gate. She has three little children and keeps house for 26 boys.” – Sarah Barnwell Elliot to her brother.
After Mrs. Polk, Mrs. Sophie L. Eggleston in 1887 bought it, with Mrs. C.M. Lyon managing it. During the Medical School’s time the house was largely occupied by "Meds" and in 1902 Dr. Lees owned it. He was a dentist and lived on here after the Medical Department was closed. W. J. Prince bought it from Dr. Lees. It burned down during World War I. Some of the students who lived there were; David Stanton, Abner Green, Archie Butt, Lewis Butt, Reed Pearson, James Fleming, Louis Tucker, Gardiner Tucker, Dan Hamilton, Roulac Hamilton, Wilber Brown, Ernest Johnston.
1871
Bellewood (torn down)
1871
All photographs are the property of the University of the South Archives and Special Collections Department
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architecture
Selden House (torn down)
Selden House
Jabez Hayes
1869
All photographs are the property of the University of the South Archives and Special Collections Department
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architecture
Selden Hall001.jpg
Gipson House
The house is situated on Alabama Ave., which was originally known as St. Chrysostom Place. Allen Gipson moved from Roarks Cove to Sewanee where he ran a general store located directly across from the depot. Later, he and Tom Gipson co-owned a store in the building now home to Shenanigans. Ten years after Allen Gipson’s death, Mrs. Gipson was forced to put up the house for auction as her son had riddled the family with debt. She sold the modest four-room house for $575 to Lafayette O. Myers.
In 1912, J.W. McBee, the police chief, bought the house. In 1917, the house was given over to McBee’s wife, Mary McBee Summers, who had remarried . After Mrs. Summers’ death Lawrence Green, owner of the City Café, lived there in the 1960s. Tom Wells and his wife then leased it as Mrs. Wells had an interest in older houses. Today the Gipson House is owned by Will and Becca Arnold who are both graduates of the University. Becca Arnold is the daughter of a former matron at the University, Susan Peek.
Makris, P. S. (2006). Sewanee - People, Places, and Times. Ozark, Missouri: Dogwood Printing.
1871
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Miller Hall
Miss Mary Miller bought this home in 1887. She was described as having a “strange and lovely Chinese face, romantic birth, and most Victorian outlook” She was born of missionary parents: her father English and her mother Chinese. Orphaned at a young age, she was sent to an uncle in the United States. She later fell in love with a clergyman and they were to be married. However, her uncle said that her parents had not been married, making her illegitimate and unable to marry a clergyman. Unfortunately, it was found out after her uncle died that Miller’s parents had indeed been married and her uncle lied to keep control of her financial affairs. Miss Miller presided over “Crazy Corner” (then the name of Miller Hall) as matron of the boarding house for many years. She left all her property to the University in 1911 and the gates in the cemetery were put up in her name.
The next occupants, Mrs. Stewart from New Orleans and her daughters, Minnie and Clara, remodeled the house into two apartments. In 1922, the Rev. Charles Wright bought it for a summer home. Wright, brought from England by Bishop Quintard as a young child, was considered a member of the Bishop’s family. He went to the University and St. Luke’s, and was member of the Board of Regents for 20 years. He was rector of Grace Church, Memphis. He died in 1932.
The house has been torn down.
1887
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Miller Hall
Miss Mary Miller bought the home in 1887. She was described as having a “strange and lovely Chinese face, romantic birth, and most Victorian outlook” (Charlotte Gailor, Purple Sewanee, 1932). She was born of missionary parents: her father English and her mother Chinese. Orphaned at a young age, she was sent to an uncle in the United States. She later fell in love with a clergyman and they were to be married. However, her uncle said that her parents had not been married, making her illegitimate and unable to marry a clergyman. Unfortunately, it was found out after her uncle died that Miller’s parents had indeed been married and her uncle lied to keep control of her financial affairs. Miss Miller presided over “Crazy Corner” (then the name of Miller Hall) as matron of the boarding house for many years. She left all her property to the University in 1911 and the gates in the cemetery were put up in her name.
The next occupants, Mrs. Stewart from New Orleans and her daughters, Minnie and Clara, remodeled the house into two apartments. In 1922, the Rev. Charles Wright bought it for a summer home. Wright, brought from England by Bishop Quintard as a young child, was considered a member of the Bishop’s family. He went to the University and St. Luke’s, and was member of the Board of Regents for 20 years. He was rector of Grace Church, Memphis. He died in 1932.
The house has been torn down.
1887
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Barnwell Cottage (torn down)
This house was on Alabama Avenue, the third house from the corner where McCrady Hall is now. This lease was taken in 1870 by a Mrs. Louisa Rowland. Apparently she didn't live here long. In 1873 Mrs. E. M. Anderson had the lease. Mrs. Anderson was related to Jefferson Davis, and his wife and daughter were frequent visitors of hers, according to Miss Queenie Washington who often stayed at Bellewood, just two doors away. In 1885 Mrs. Florence Barnwell took over the house and presided as Matron until her death in October 1922. She was a widow with two sons who both went to the University. There are fourteen Barnwells in the Alumni Directory but only two from Sewanee, Walter in 1891, and Bower in 1907. Mrs. Barnwell always wore black with a little lace cap. She was well known by everybody because she played piano for all the informal dances in Forensic “Frenzy” Hall. Her favorites were "When the leaves begin to turn ...," "The Blue Danube," and "When I was single, my pockets did jingle, I wish I were single again ..." She was remembered by the Sewanee community as having an “essential” spirit.
“Old mothers, as they pass with slow-timed steps,
Their trembling hands cling gently to youth’s strength;
Sweet mothers; as they pass, one sees again,
Old garden walks, old roses, and old loves.” –Charles S. Ross
(Quoted by the Board of Trustees in her remembrance)
This house was pulled down during WWII to make way for Army Barracks. Mr. Douglas Vaughan said his father got some of the lumber from it, unpainted, but solid stuff still. The building has since been turned into University owned apartments and are named Barnwell Apartments after this family.
1870
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