Raphael Semmes House, Greek Revival residence in Mobile, Alabama.

The Raphael Semmes House is a two-story brick building with an elegant front porch supported by cast iron columns and features characteristic Greek Revival elements. The interior includes three bedrooms upstairs, black marble fireplaces throughout, and a rear service wing that originally housed kitchen and storage areas.

Construction of the house began in 1858 and was completed by builder Peter Horta, establishing it as an important example of mid-19th century architecture. After the Civil War, the citizens of Mobile presented the house as a gift to naval commander Raphael Semmes in 1871, where he resided until his death in 1877.

The house reflects how affluent families lived in 19th-century Mobile, with elegantly designed rooms that served both formal gatherings and daily life. Its marble finishes and cast iron details reveal the wealth and standing of those who occupied it.

The house stands at 804 Government Street, next to the First Baptist Church of Mobile. It is a private building, so visitors see it from the sidewalk: the white-painted brick front, the full-width cast iron porch of the 1870s with its floral motif, and the Greek Revival doorway. The narrow lot makes the house deeper than it is wide, with the rear ell extending the depth to 67 feet.

The house was bought by public subscription: the citizens of Mobile raised the funds and presented it to Raphael Semmes in 1871, and he lived there until his death in 1877. In 1946 Joseph Linyer Bedsole and his wife gave the restored townhouse to the neighbouring First Baptist Church, in memory of their son, an Army Air Forces lieutenant killed over Nazi Germany.