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Dry Fork Plantation Home at Sedan, AL (1832-1834)

Antebellum | Sedan in Wilcox County  

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Dry Fork is a historic plantation home located in the Sedan community near Camden, AL. This is one of the oldest documented homes still standing in Wilcox County and is a fine example of late Federal style double–pile house form containing examples of folk versions of Federal style woodwork.  It was constructed for James Asbury Tait during the years of 1832-1834.  James Asbury Tait was born in 1791, the only child of Charles and Ann Lucas Tait to survive infancy. He grew up on his grandfather’s plantation in the Broad River country near Savannah, Georgia before coming to Alabama.

Starting in 1998, Dry Fork was restored by Gail and James Edwin (Jim) Tait, great-great grandson of the builder. The home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. The house has eight rooms with four on each floor.  All rooms are 18 feet square and with 11-foot ceilings downstairs and 8 ½ foot ceilings upstairs. There are two porches on the front, although one appears to be a later addition since James Asbury Tait’s memoranda does not mention it.  The original house required more than 25,000 board feet of cut lumber, and the roof was covered with 6,000 wooden shingles.  The chimneys required 12,000 bricks, made from clay on the plantation.

This home is located on CR 13 approximately 1/4 mile east of CR 13 & Hwy 41 in the commnity of Sedan, AL (GPS Coordinates N31.901444,W87.360778).

This is a private residence – drive by only.

Sources: http://www.wilcoxareachamber.org, 2) B&W Photograph courtesy U. S. Library of Congress, photographer: Frances Benjamin Johnston (1864-1952), date: 1939

 

Tags: alabama, antebellum, black belt, camden, house, plantation, wilcox county

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About This Website

Welcome to rural southwest Alabama. This website is dedicated to twelve counties located in rural southwest Alabama which includes a large portion of Alabama’s Black Belt area. This region is known for its rich and diverse heritage, historic homes and churches, and natural beauty. This website contains details about historic and interesting places that you will find in this area of Alabama.

PLEASE NOTE THAT MOST OF THE HOMES INCLUDED ARE PRIVATE RESIDENCES AND, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, ARE DRIVE BY ONLY.

We hope that you enjoy this website.

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Dedicated to the memory of Stacy Milstead Henson (1978-2008) & Inez “Sis” Watts (1924-2007).

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