Clyde Carter House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Clyde Carter House
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The house in April 2017
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 Location in Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Location | 300 Lime Kiln Rd., Ford City, Alabama |
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| Area | 24 acres (9.7 ha) |
| Built | 1924 |
| Built by | Natale Fortuna |
| Architectural style | Spanish eclectic |
| NRHP reference No. | 04000559 |
| Added to NRHP | June 2, 2004 |
The Clyde Carter House is a special old home in Ford City, Alabama. It was built in 1924. At that time, many people were buying and selling land in Colbert County. This was called land speculation.
The house has a unique style called Spanish Eclectic. This style was not very common in the southern United States back then. Because it is so special, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. This means it is an important historical place.
Contents
History of the Clyde Carter House
Building the House in Ford City
The Clyde Carter House was built in 1924. This was a time when many people were buying land in an area called The Shoals. A famous businessman named Henry Ford had big plans. In 1921, he wanted to buy two factories and a dam from the government. He planned to use the factories to make fertilizer.
Ford also wanted to build a huge industrial city. It would stretch for about 75 miles along the Tennessee River. Developers started buying farms to build new neighborhoods and towns. One company from Baltimore, Maryland bought land to create a new town. They named it Ford City. They started building this house in the Spanish Eclectic style. But then, Henry Ford changed his mind. He stopped his plans because the U.S. Congress did not agree with them.
The Carter Family Moves In
The builder of the house could not pay for it anymore. So, the house was sold at an auction in 1930. Clyde and Cleo Carter bought it. Mr. Carter finished building the house. He also farmed the land around it. He grew crops like corn and cotton. Over time, he owned 24 acres of land.
The Clyde Carter House was one of the first homes in the area to get electricity. This was thanks to the Rural Electrification Act. This act helped bring electricity to country areas. Clyde Carter passed away in 1958. His wife, Cleo, lived in the house until she died in 1972. Their daughters owned the house next. In 2000, one of their granddaughters inherited the house.
What Does the Clyde Carter House Look Like?
The Spanish Eclectic Style
The Spanish Eclectic style is very interesting. It first became popular at an event called the Panama–California Exposition in San Diego in 1915. A designer named Bertram Goodhue created this style. He mixed ideas from different types of Spanish buildings. These included Spanish Colonial and Mission Revival architecture. He also added touches from other old styles like Byzantine and Baroque.
This style became popular after World War I. It was often seen in places like Southern California and Florida. Famous people like writer Frances Marion and director Cecil B. DeMille had homes in this style. Even actor Charlie Chaplin had one.
Features of the House
The Clyde Carter House has a flat roof. It has a decorative brick line at the top. The outside walls are covered in a material called stucco. The bottom part of the house looks like stone.
The main front door has a narrow window next to it, called a sidelight. There are two single windows on either side of the door. The fancy metal storm door and the railing on the front porch are clear signs of the Spanish Eclectic style.
When Clyde Carter finished the house in the 1930s, he added a screened porch. This porch had a sloped roof. But in 1972, a tornado destroyed it. Later, part of it was rebuilt with wood siding to make a sunroom.
On the south side of the house, there is a covered driveway called a porte-cochère. It covers a garden area. In the garden, you can find a dogwood tree and Confederate jasmine flowers. Inside the house, the original wooden doors, baseboards, and crown molding are still there.
See also
In Spanish: Casa de Clyde Carter para niños
