Tristram Bethea House, human settlement in Alabama, United States of America
The Tristram Bethea House is a large two-story brick structure built before the Civil War in Canton Bend, Alabama. It displays elements of Federal and Greek Revival architecture with detailed woodwork around openings and features a compact interior layout with one main room per floor plus a separate frame addition at the rear.
The house was built around 1844 by Tristram Bethea, who had moved from South Carolina and chose brick construction as a sign of lasting prosperity. Ownership passed through local families until the 1940s, when the structure declined, remaining vacant for decades until new owners acquired and carefully restored it in 1987.
The house is also known as 'Pleasant Ridge,' reflecting the agricultural landscape that once defined the area. The name hints at the peaceful setting that characterized plantations of this era and the land's role in the region's history.
The house sits beside the road in Canton Bend and can be viewed from the street, though public access to the interior is not available as it remains a private residence. Daytime visits with good light offer the best view of the brick details and woodwork from the road.
A government survey photographed the house in detail in 1937, documenting its appearance long before the recent restoration work began. These archival images reveal the structure's decline over decades and provide a rare glimpse into how deteriorated it had become before revival.
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