National Register of Historic Places

Gilchrist House

Cordova, Walker County, Alabama
Listed
March 23, 1972
Type
Building
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
72000188

About this property

The Gilchrist House was a historic farmhouse near Cordova in Walker County, Alabama. Built when Alabama was still a part of the Mississippi Territory, it was considered by architectural scholars as one of the older surviving houses in Alabama and the oldest structure in the central and western area of the state. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 24, 1972. It was destroyed by fire during the late 1990s, but the site remains listed on the National Register. The Gilchrist House was built by Edmon (also spelled Edmond, Edmund) Gilchrist, who migrated to Alabama from Edgefield, South Carolina. He first settled in Lowndes County, but relocated to Walker County and built the house in 1812 on land granted to him by the Federal government. The house was still owned by his descendants when it was listed on the National Register during the early 1970s. The house was a two-story wooden timber frame structure, elevated on piers. The original portion was rectangular, with one upstairs room over one downstairs room. Bookend chimneys were present on each side of the two-story structure. A one-story side wing and a full-width porch were added in the late 1880s and early 1900s.

Location

Cordova, Walker County, Alabama
33.63439, -87.35636

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Stephenson House
Industrial
5.9 mi
Jasper Downtown Historic District
Listed
14.4 mi
First United Methodist Church
Industrial
14.5 mi
Bankhead House
Civil War
14.6 mi
Walker County Hospital
Pre Contact
14.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Gilchrist House listed on the National Register?

Gilchrist House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 23, 1972.

What type of historic resource is Gilchrist House?

Gilchrist House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Gilchrist House?

The period of significance for Gilchrist House is recorded as the civil_war era.

Can I research the history near Gilchrist House?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Gilchrist House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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