Rhea–McEntire House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rhea–McEntire House
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Rhea–McEntire House in 1934
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 Location in Alabama
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1105 Sycamore St., Decatur, Alabama |
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| Built | 1836 |
| Architectural style | Antebellum Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 84000715 |
| Added to NRHP | August 30, 1984 |
The Rhea–McEntire House is a very old and important house in Decatur, Alabama. It is also known as the Rhea–Burleson–McEntire House. This large house was built before 1836. It stands near the Tennessee River and Wheeler Lake. The house shows a special building style called Greek Revival architecture, which was popular before the American Civil War.
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A Historic Home from the 1830s
This grand house was built before the year 1836. It has seen many important events in American history. The house is a great example of Antebellum architecture. This means it was built before the American Civil War.
The Rhea–McEntire House During the Civil War
During the American Civil War, the Rhea–McEntire House played a special role. Both the Union (North) and Confederate (South) armies used it as their headquarters at different times.
In 1862, before Union soldiers took over, some important plans were made here. People believed that plans for the Battle of Shiloh were discussed inside this house. Because of its importance, the house was saved when much of Decatur was burned during the war. Only a few other buildings in the city survived.
Why the House Survived the War
The Rhea–McEntire House was one of only four main buildings in Decatur that survived the Civil War. The others were the Dancy-Polk House, the Old State Bank, and the McCartney Hotel (which was later torn down). These buildings likely survived because they were inside the Union army's defenses. In 1864, the Union built strong walls and defenses. They cleared everything outside these walls for about 800 yards to help their cannons defend the city.
The Burleson family owned the house during the Civil War. Dr. Aaron Adair Burleson was a doctor for the Confederate Army. He also led a railroad company.
New Owners and Uses Over Time
After the Civil War, in 1869, the house was sold to Jerome Hinds. He was a former Union soldier from Illinois. Later, the house was used as a boarding house and a hotel. It was empty for a while before R. P. McEntire bought it on April 5, 1895.
The Rhea–McEntire House was also used as a temporary courthouse. This happened while the first permanent courthouse was being built in Decatur, in Morgan County.
In 1937, the house was officially recorded with large photographs by the Historic American Buildings Survey. This helped preserve its history and details.
Images for kids
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Rhea–McEntire House in 1934
