The Historic Lowry house
The Historic Lowry House is one of the most unique homes in Alabama, displaying wood from the original cabin, Federal rooms, an Italianate box main stairway, and Greek revival, Georgian, and Federal style mantles. It is one of the only Italianate homes located in the south.
In 1809, John Lowry moved with his family from Virginia to Alabama and purchased land on Meridian Road in Madison County. John was the contractor for the first courthouse started in 1811. John's son Samuel (born 1792) married Elizabeth Tate, daughter of John Tate wealthy farmer, in 1816.
By 1818, when the Tennessee Valley lands were surveyed and offered for sale, farmers on the worn tobacco plantations of Virginia were sending slaves by the thousands and capital amounting to millions to Madison County. By then, the land office was located in Huntsville and the Planters and Merchants Bank had been chartered, being the first bank established in the State of Alabama.
In 1821, Samuel's son, John Tate Lowry was born in Madison County. John Tate Lowry married Elizabeth Allen in 1846. Elizabeth died 1847. Two years later John married Virginia H. Miller. Their son, Samuel Hickman Lowry, was born on October 16, 1850.
John Tate Lowry was a member of Lowry-Hamilton and Company and had a plantation with many slaves. After the Civil War John received a pardon from the President of the United States and signed a paper agreeing to "never again own another human being."
Samuel Hickman Lowry graduated from the University of Virginia, after which he attended Bellevue Medical College in New York where he received his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1873. Dr. Lowry established the first infirmary in Huntsville at the corner of Randolph Street and White Street. He had a town house in Huntsville, a summer home in Viduta on Monte Sano, and a plantation.
Near the turn-of-the-century, Huntsville was the second-ranking cotton mill town in the south. Lavish homes and entertaining were enjoyed by the wealthy.
Winding drives led from Meridianville Pike to the Lowry home.
Mr. Louie Tippett purchased the property on May 6,1998. The Lowry House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of Interior on October 29, 2001.
The Historic Lowry House, a 3000 square foot Italianate-Federal style home, was purchased by Louie and Jane Tippett in 1998. After an extensive 4 year restoration process, The Lowry House was restored to it’s original beauty, and placed on The National Register of Historical Places
The Historic Lowry House was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage as of November 26, 2012.
History of The Lowry House
The Historic Lowry House is truly a jewel of a historic property, steeped in Huntsville tradition by being connected to one of the city's first settling families. Located off of Meridian Street in Huntsville, the Lowry House is a 3,000 square foot Italianate-Federal style structure that was built in three phases (ca. 1832, 1850, and 1910). The home is named after John Lowry, who moved his family from Virginia to Madison County in 1809. Lowry purchased the land near Meridian road and erected a log cabin along with slave quarters, barns, a blacksmith shop, and storage buildings that would become a thriving plantation and self-sustaining community. The current structure contains elements of the original log cabin.
The Lowry home weathered the Union occupation of Huntsville in 1862. The family restored the house after the Civil War, but the property eventually fell into decline as ownership changed hands multiple times over the following years. Jimmie Lowry, wife of Samuel H. Lowry, was the last Lowry family member to own the property when she passed away in 1902. In the 1940s, the property had become a rooming house for workers at Redstone Arsenal. Into the 1990s, modern buildings cropped up around the main house, obscuring with suburban sprawl.
In 1998, the home had been condemned by the city when Louie Tippett, and his wife Jane, discovered it. After purchasing the Lowry house, the Tippetts began a 4-year restoration process, and upon its completion, the house was fully restored and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, the Historic Lowry House is available for events such as parties, receptions, and weddings. The well-manicured grounds feature a spacious, fenced-in back yard perfect for entertaining. The beautiful home is filled with interesting artifacts and information related to Huntsville's unique history. It is a perfect place for learning and appreciating history first-hand. The house hosts field trips for grade school children in the area. This year, field trips are offered for third graders through Earthscope, a local organization that provides hands-on, experimental, and activity-based educational experiences for elementary school children. These lessons will teach students all about the influence of King Cotton from planting to how we use the important crop in everyday life.
Charming and Educational
