Miss Willie's House facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Dr. Samuel Welch House
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Welch House in 2011
Location in Alabama
Location	Talladega, Alabama
Built	1907
Architectural style	Queen Anne
Part of	Silk Stocking District (Talladega) (ID79000403)

The Dr. Samuel Welch House, also called Miss Willie's House, is a beautiful old brick home in Talladega, Alabama, USA. It was built in 1907 for Dr. Samuel W. Welch and his wife, Ethel. After they passed away, their daughter, Miss Willie Wallace Welch, lived there until 1997. This house is a special part of the "Silk Stocking District". This district is a historic area in Talladega County that was recognized in 1979 by the National Register of Historic Places. The house is built in the Queen Anne style, which was popular for homes around that time.

History of the Welch House

The Dr. Samuel Welch House was designed by a famous architect named Frank Lockwood from Montgomery. It was built by Robert S. West, a contractor from Talladega. These two worked together on many important homes and buildings in Talladega.

Dr. Samuel W. Welch was a very important person in Alabama. He worked as the State Health Officer. This meant he helped solve health and medical problems all across the state. He was also a member of groups like the Masons and the Odd Fellows.

His daughter, Miss Willie Wallace Welch, never married. She loved history and was a local historian. She worked at the Talladega Public Library for over 30 years. She lived in the house until she passed away in 1997.

What the House Looks Like

The Welch Home is very special because it's one of only three solid brick houses in Talladega County. Its walls are extra thick, made of two layers of brick, making them 8 inches thick!

The house has three bay windows, which are windows that stick out from the main wall. It also has 17 Grecian columns along its wraparound porch. Even though it's a single-story house, the roof was built tall and steep. This was done so the attic could be turned into more living space later if needed.

Inside, the house has a wide hallway in the middle. Rooms are located on each side of this hallway. The extra-wide hallway was designed to fit a staircase at the back, leading up to the attic. Two of the four fireplaces inside the house have beautiful French enameled mantles.

When the house was built, there were no gas or electric lines in the neighborhood yet. So, the house was set up for both electric lights and gas lights. Electric lines reached the area first, so electric light fixtures were bought for the house. You can still see the old gas pipes and fittings in each room today!