Arlington Antebellum Home & Gardens facts for kids

Arlington
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Arlington in 1993
Location in Birmingham, Alabama Show map of Birmingham, Alabama Location in Alabama Show map of Alabama Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	331 Cotton Ave., SW, Birmingham, Alabama
Built	1845–50
Architect	Stephen Hall; William Mudd
Architectural style	Greek Revival, Federal
NRHP reference No.	70000103
Added to NRHP	December 2, 1970

Arlington Antebellum Home & Gardens, also known as Arlington Historic House, is a beautiful old home and 6 acres (24,000 m²) of gardens. It's located near downtown Birmingham, Alabama, in the United States. The two-story house was built by enslaved people between 1845 and 1850. It shows off the Greek Revival architecture style, which was popular before the American Civil War.

Today, Arlington is a museum of decorative arts. It displays a collection of furniture, fabrics, silver, and paintings from the 1800s. The lovely gardens also have a special room used for events. Arlington was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 2, 1970. It has also been called the Mudd-Munger House.

The Story of Arlington Home

Early Beginnings in Elyton

The land where Arlington stands was first settled by Stephen Hall, who came from Georgia in 1822. Hall helped build a new courthouse and jail in the area. He bought 17 acres of land and started building a home there.

In 1840, Hall's son, Samuel, inherited the property. Sadly, Samuel passed away two years later, leaving his family with many debts. Because of this, the family had to sell the property. It was bought for $600 by a man named William S. Mudd.

William S. Mudd and "The Grove"

William S. Mudd was an important judge in Elyton for over 20 years. He bought another 80 acres next to the original property. He named the entire estate "The Grove" because of the many old hardwood trees around the house.

In 1846, Mudd married Florence Earle. He then began building a much larger home than Hall's original house. Between 1845 and 1850, enslaved workers and skilled builders constructed a grand eight-room mansion. This house was built in the Greek Revival style.

Arlington was never a "plantation" in the sense of growing crops. It was always used as a private home.

Arlington During the Civil War

The city of Birmingham, which Mudd helped create, eventually grew to cover the old town of Elyton. Arlington is one of the few buildings left from Elyton's early days. It is also Birmingham's only large home from before the Civil War.

During Wilson's Raid in 1865, Union soldiers used Arlington. From here, they began burning the University of Alabama. The university had trained soldiers for the Confederacy and was also a hospital for wounded soldiers.

Later Owners and Becoming a Museum

Over the years, the property had several owners. In 1902, Robert S. Munger bought Arlington. For the next 20 years, he made many updates. He added modern plumbing and electric lights. He also moved another building behind the main house. This building became a kitchen, dining room, sun parlor, and sleeping area. Mr. Munger even owned one of the first "motor cars" in Birmingham!

In 1953, a group of citizens and the City of Birmingham worked together. They raised money to buy Arlington and save it.

The ashes of former Birmingham mayor George G. Siebels, Jr. are buried at Arlington.

More to Explore

• Arlington Park is a historic area next to Arlington, which was once part of its land.