Protestant Children's Home, Federal architecture orphanage in Mobile, Alabama
The Protestant Children's Home is a three-story brick building with a cast-iron portico centered above three bays across its front facade. The structure displays Federal architecture with careful detailing along the exterior walls and roofline.
The Protestant Orphan Asylum Society founded this institution in 1839 following yellow fever epidemics that orphaned many children in Mobile. The building itself was constructed in 1845 under Philadelphia architect Henry Moffatt as the city continued to face the need for child care.
Protestant women from different church backgrounds created this orphanage in a predominantly Catholic city, accepting children of all ages until they could care for themselves. The place served as a refuge for young people who had lost their families to disease or hardship.
The building at 911 Dauphin Street is visible from public streets and easy to locate. It underwent complete renovation in 1950 and now serves as Cotton Hall for the Infant Mystics society, so it is not open to visitors as a museum.
The upper balconies display elaborate cast-iron balustrades and latticework that Henry Moffatt designed as architectural highlights. These decorative elements stand out from the otherwise straightforward Federal facade and reveal the metalwork skill of the period.
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