| Huntsville's Historic Homes Tour 2002 |
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Part 4: Schiffman Bldg./Church of the Nativity |
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The I. Schiffman Building, located at 231 East Side Square, is famous for being the birthplace of Tallulah Bankhead.
It is the remaining south bay of a three-bay Federal style structure. The other two bays were demolished during urban renewal. The surviving south bay was stylistically transformed in 1895 by the Southern Savings and Loan Association and is one of the few remaining commercial example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture in Alabama.
In 1903, actress Tallulah Bankhead was born in the second floor apartment during the time when here father William Bankhead was a lawyer in Huntsville.
Isaac Schiffman purchased the property in 1905 and his family businesses have continued there ever since. The current owner is Mr. Schiffman's great granddaughter, Margaret Anne Goldsmith, who renovated the building in 1998 and was awarded an Historic Preservation Award from the Historic Huntsville Foundation.
One of the most beautiful churches in Huntsville is the Church of the Nativity located on the corner of Eustis and Green Streets. It was built in 1859 and is an outstanding example of Gothic Revival architecture and is still in its original condition.
The building contains a nave with aisles, chancel, vestry and organ chamber, and a monumental entrance tower at the northeast corner. The height of the town and spire is 151 feet. The bell in the brick bell tower is about 18 feet square and an inscription indicates it was made in Sheffield, England in 1865. The original bell was removed during the Civil War and used to make a cannon.
In addition to the above homes and buildings, the Historic Homes tour includes the Garden at Poplar Grove located at 403 Echols Avenue, the former home of Leroy Pope. The current owners, Mr. and Mrs. Danny Wiginton, have beautifully restored the formal garden with azaleas, roses, herbs, and old-fashioned perennials. A whimsical bronze "dancing turtles" fountain created exclusively for the garden by renowned Alabama artist, Frank Fleming, overlooks the stone terrace. The formal gardens were designed by Bill Nance, a local artist, teacher and garden designer.
Tickets for the Historic Homes Tour are $20 per person the day of the tour, $17 for advance purchase and $15 for groups of 20 or more. Tickets are available at the following locations: Harrison Brothers Hardware, Parisian Stores, Weeden House Museum, Lawren's, Brooks & Collier, High Grove Garden Furnishings, Topiary Tree, Magnolia Gift Shop, The Greenery (Big Cove), and Hartlex Antique Mall in Madison. For additional information, check the Huntsville Pilgrimage Associations website or contact the Huntsville Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-SPACE 4U or 256-551-2230.
