Forks Of Cypress

Forks of Cypress, the main house in 1935.

James Jackson

Forks of Cypress was a plantation and Greek Revival plantation house near Florence in Lauderdale County, Alabama. It was designed by architect William Nichols for James Jackson and his wife, Sally Moore Jackson. Construction was completed in 1830.  It was the only Greek Revival house in Alabama to feature a two-story colonnade around the entire house, composed of twenty-four Ionic columns. The name was derived from the fact that Big Cypress Creek and Little Cypress Creek border the plantation and converge near the site of the main house.  Although the main house was destroyed by fire in 1966, the site was placed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on April 14, 1992 and the National Register of Historic Places on October 10, 1997.

History:

James Jackson was born October 25, 1782 in Ballybay, County Monaghan, Ireland. Jackson moved to Alabama from Nashville, Tennessee in 1818. From 1822 onward he was active in state politics and served in both houses of the Alabama Legislature. In 1830, Jackson was named president of the Alabama Senate.


Interior View Of House


Mantle In First Floor Parlor


In the 1820's and 30's, James Jackson, an avid horseman, imported a dozen or more English thoroughbreds for breeding his own horses and in an effort to improve the overall bloodstock of the American thoroughbred. He was eminently successful in the effort particularly with three of his imports, Leviathan in 1830, and Gallapade in 1835 and Glencoe in 1836. American turf historian John Hervey rates James Jackson as "the most successful importer in the history of the American thoroughbred". James Jackson died on August 17, 1840 and was buried in the family cemetery, near the plantation house. His widow was the executor of his will and, on October 9, 1840, made bond in the amount of $400,000. The will of James Jackson, recorded September 15, 1840 at the Lauderdale County Court House, directed his nephew Thomas Kirkman to manage a trust which would control and gradually sell off the racehorses, a duty Kirkman completed in 1848, with the sale of Glencoe.


The Jackson Home Erected In 1820

Land Plat of Jackson Home


South Elevation


Blueprint Elevations


Foundation And Basement Views


First Floor Plan


Attic And Roof Plan


Longitudinal Section And Cross Section


Molding And Woodwork Plans


Profile Thru Entablature

Detail And Main Stairs

Front South Elevation A. And B.

Mantels Of Home

Smoke House Plans

Cabin And Outhouse Plans

Cemetery And Sorghum Trough

Second Floor Plan

Front Elevation

Rear Elevation

Left Side Elevation West

The ruins in 2010

It is so sad that such a beautiful home was struck by lightening. The house was built out of wood framing and wood siding but the columns were built of horsehair and molasses and
Pictures found on Flicker.com

During the American Civil War invading Union forces used the lands of the Forks as a base camp. At this time the farm was owned by James' widow, Sarah Jackson. Additionally, some of writer Alex Haley's ancestors were slaves on this plantation, which provides a setting for much of his book, Queen: The Story of an American Family.  Hugh Scott owned the Forks of Cypress in 1935 and by the 1940's sold the plantation to Rufus B. Dowdy (1897-1980) who restored the house and grounds. On June 6, 1966, the plantation house was struck by lightning and burned to the ground.


 Old Slave House on Property

It was never rebuilt but the Dowdy family carefully preserved the brick pillars, still standing in picturesque ruin, as well as the original log house, several outbuildings and the Jackson family cemetery.





A near replica of the main house was built in 1983 in downtown Florence, Alabama at 321 N. Seminary Street and is 5 miles (8.0 km) away from the original site. The replica serves as a Regions Bank branch.
In addition to the Regions Bank replica, another replica of the Forks of Cypress was built in 2005. It is located near the Historic Natchez Trace Parkway in western Lauderdale County, Alabama approximately 16 miles west of Florence. This building is a private residence and it is not open to the public.


Smokehouse

VINTAGE VIEW OF FORKS OF CYPRESS PLANTATION: Early 20th century postcard view depicting the James Jackson Plantation near Florence, Alabama. 

External Links:

Forks Of Cypress Plantation Site

History Of The Shoals

The Antebellum Period

The Civil War

Florence, AL History

Forks Of Cypress Plantation Tour in Florence Alabama 

Facebook Page / Forks of Cypress

Tales Of The OSPC

Forks Of Cypress Flicker Photos

Roadside America Article on Forks Of Cypress

Alex Haley's Paternal grandmother born at Forks of Cypress

Photo's Of Forks Of Cypress Plantation by Library of Congress

Photo's on Pinterest.com

One State Two Boys Blogger

Wisconson History.org

Ghosts Of Grandeur

TimesDaily.com

people.tribe.net

YarbroughandAssociates

Cardcow.com

genealogytrails.com

Cypress Alley private home built to look like Forks of Cypress 

Alabama Historical Slavery Plantations 

Irregular Ramblings of a Regular Guy Blog

Historical Marker Database HMdb.org




Source: Internet