Greene–Marston House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Greene–Marston House
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 Location in Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2000 Dauphin St., Mobile, Alabama |
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| Built | 1851 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 83002966 |
| Added to NRHP | January 11, 1983 |
The Greene–Marston House is a really old and interesting house in Mobile, Alabama. It's also known by a funny nickname: Termite Hall! This historic building has seen many changes and hosted famous writers over the years.
Contents
Discovering the Greene–Marston House
A House with a Long Story
This house has a long history, starting way back in 1851! It began as a smaller, one-and-a-half-story cottage. The Greene family built this first part of the house.
Later, in 1903, a man named Martin Van Heuval made the house much bigger. He added a large, two-and-a-half-story section. This new part used the older cottage as one of its wings. The house was updated again in 1910 by William Syson.
How "Termite Hall" Got Its Name
In 1919, Regina DeMouy Rapier bought the house. Many of her relatives lived there, including the Marston family. This is where the house got its famous nickname!
The story goes that in the early 1900s, two sisters, Adelaide and Eleanor Marston, were sitting on a porch rail. When they stood up, the rail suddenly fell apart! They discovered the porch was full of termites. That's how the house became known as "Termite Hall."
A Home for Writers and Books
The Greene–Marston House became a special place for writers. This happened when Adelaide Caroline Marston Trigg lived there. In 1941, she helped start a famous bookstore in Mobile called The Haunted Book Shop.
The bookstore became a popular spot for many well-known authors. Writers like Harper Lee, Thomas Mann, Eugene Walter, and William March visited. Adelaide later ran another book business, Far Corners Book Search, right from her home.
Famous Friends and Family Stories
Adelaide and her sister Eleanor were very good friends with Eugene Walter. He was a famous author, poet, and amazing chef. He even lived with them sometimes!
Eugene Walter wrote about the house in his 1982 cookbook. It was called Delectable Dishes From Termite Hall. Adelaide Trigg lived to be 89 years old, passing away in 2008.
The house also inspired a novel! Adelaide's granddaughter, Helen Scully, wrote a book called In the Hope of Rising Again. The story in the book takes place in the Greene–Marston House. The house is still owned by the Marston-Trigg family today.
A Historic Landmark
Because of its unique design and history, the Greene–Marston House was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This happened on January 11, 1983. It means the house is an important part of history and architecture.
