Burritt on the Mountain facts for kids
The Smith-Williams House, one of several 19th century structures at the museum
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| Established | 1955 |
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| Location | Huntsville, Alabama |
| Type | Open-air museum |
Burritt on the Mountain is a cool open-air museum located in Huntsville, Alabama. It sits on top of Round Top Mountain, which is connected to Monte Sano Mountain. This special place used to be the home and land of a local doctor named William Burritt. When he passed away in 1955, he gave his house and land to the city. He wanted it to become a museum for everyone to enjoy.
Over the years, many old buildings from the 1800s have been moved to Burritt. This helps to save these historic structures. It also lets visitors see what life was like long ago.
Contents
Discovering Burritt's History
Who Was William Burritt?
William Henry Burritt was born in Huntsville in 1869. He came from a family of doctors and followed in their footsteps. He became a physician in 1891. Later, in 1900, he moved to St. Louis, Missouri. There, he got involved in many different businesses. He managed farms, logging, and mining. He even worked with rubber and invented new things for tires! He received 22 patents for his inventions.
After his wife passed away in 1934, Burritt returned to Huntsville. He designed a unique mansion on 167 acres (about 68 football fields) of land. He planned to farm and raise goats there during his retirement. His house was very special. It had interesting decorations. It even used straw for insulation! He got this idea after visiting a hot farm in Missouri.
On June 6, 1936, the day Burritt moved into his new mansion, something sad happened. An electrical fire caused the house to burn down. The straw insulation and metal panels made the fire worse. But Burritt didn't give up! He rebuilt the mansion. He lived there until he passed away in 1955.
How the Museum Started
William Burritt had no children. So, he decided to give his house and land to the city. He wanted it to become a museum. This is how Burritt on the Mountain began!
The museum started buying old log houses and barns. These buildings were in danger of being torn down. The museum moved them to its grounds to save them. Between 1964 and 1974, three buildings were moved. Today, the park is split into two main areas: the 1850s and the 1900s. Each area shows buildings, furniture, and tools from that time period. Now, twelve buildings from the 1800s have been fully fixed up. They are all part of the museum for you to explore!
Exploring the Exhibits
Historic Buildings to See
The museum has many cool buildings from the 1800s. These are part of the historic park:
- The Balch House was built in 1887 near Harvest, Alabama.
- The Chandler House is a dogtrot house from Lester, Alabama.
- An 1884 church that used to be in downtown Madison, Alabama.
- The Meals House, an 1845 cabin from near Lester.
- The Smith-Williams House was created in 1868. It joined two older structures from the 1840s.
- An 1890s barn from near Minor Hill, Tennessee.
The museum also has two buildings that are very important. They are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These are the Burritt Mansion and the Joel Eddins House.
Besides these historic buildings, there are other useful places. These include a welcome center and an administrative building. There's also a copy of a four-room Rosenwald school. This type of school helped educate African American children in the past. An events center is also there, designed to look like the old Hotel Monte Sano.
The William Burritt Mansion
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William Burritt Mansion
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The Mansion in May 2010
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| Location | 3101 Burritt Dr., SE., Huntsville, Alabama |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1938 |
| Architect | William Burritt, Edgar Love |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000627 |
| Added to NRHP | May 29, 1992 |
The Burritt Mansion is a unique building. It has a two-story, eight-sided main part. Four one-story sections stick out, making an "X" shape. At the back, there's a conservatory, which is like a greenhouse. The outside walls look like stone, but they are covered in grey shingles.
Most of the roofs are flat and hidden. The main entrance has a two-story porch with two large columns. The front door is fancy, with windows on the sides and a fan-shaped window above. There's also a small balcony on the second floor of the porch. A panel on the front of the porch says "1935," which was when the first house was built. A terrace runs along the front of the house. Smaller porches with similar entrances are on the sides. The windows on the first floor open outwards. They have many small glass panes. The house also has several chimneys.
When you enter the mansion, you step into a hall with a spiral staircase. To the left is a large living room. To the right is the master bedroom area, with a study and a bedroom. The dining room is in the main part of the house. From there, you can find the kitchen and another bedroom. The east wing has a sitting room and another bedroom.
Upstairs, there's an observatory room at the front. It offers amazing views of the city below! Behind it are another bedroom and a small kitchen. Many rooms in the mansion are now used as gallery spaces. These galleries show different exhibits. They often focus on history and culture from North Alabama. The Burritt Mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
The Joel Eddins House
The Eddins House was built in 1810. It was originally located near Ardmore, Alabama. This one-and-a-half-story log home is a hall and parlor house. It was moved to Burritt on the Mountain in 2007. This house was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
