Originally built as a small, one-story dwelling, the house was later enlarged into the present two-story, Greek Revival structure. A merchant, Robert Shackleford, purchased this property in 1836 and built a small, single-story home that contained only two main rooms with a hallway. This dwelling was erected around 1840. This property was purchased by J. W. McCrary around 1855, who remodeled and enlarged the house into the present Greek Revival structure in the late 1850s. He added a second floor, several rooms to the rear, a full entablature around the top of the upper floor exterior, pilasters on the front facade, and a front central Doric portico.
This house was photographed and recorded in the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) in 1935. It is a contributing property to the Greensboro Historic District that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). This house is located at 700 Centreville Street in Greensboro (32°42’11.3″N 87°35’30.9″W – Google Maps).
This is a private residence – drive by only.
Sources: 1) Hale County Alabama, An Inventory of Significant and Historic Resources, by Jeff Mansell for the Cahaba Trace Commission; 2) Historic Hale County, published by The Presentation Committee of the Alabama Reunion 1989; 3) NRHP “Greensboro Historic District” Nomination Form
B&W Photograph courtesy U. S. Library of Congress, Photographer: Alex Bush, Date: January 7, 1935.
Note: This house is featured site #18, identified as Oakhampton, on the Greensboro Historic Walking Tour. Tour brochures are available at a tourism kiosk that’s located on the SE corner of Main and Beacon Streets in downtown Greensboro.