Protecting the Heritage at the Magee Farm with Battle Reenactments part of Alabama Tourism
Protecting the Pat at the Magee Farm with Living History part of Alabama Heritage
In 1848 Jacob Magee had a farmhouse and related building constructed by black slave labor for his family. The construction of the farmstead and buildings was so good that from that date to the present day the house has needed minimal help or maintenance from that day to the present. The 2 story building was the home of four different families over the decades before being designated a living history and museum site for the city of Kushla. The Magee Farm is one of those places that you will want to include on your Alabama travel itinerary.
Along side the main house there was also a store; post office, bathhouse and school house on the complex. However the only remaining buildings are the house and the schoolroom – the heritage of those times lives on with the displays that are set for you to see. It was the largest private residence for many miles when it was completed.
The primary house was designed with some fascinating designs. There is a front porch that has 2 sleeping room doors leading onto it. One of these bedrooms has a door on the porch but no entryway into the main portion of the house. It was built to provide travelers and guests that were non members of the family a safe room to sleep without them being able to access the family’s private areas. The other bedroom has a door on the porch but also an entry that opens into the formal living area. Obviously this room was used by family members that came to visit or friends that they wanted to allow access to the rest of the house.
There is also a parlor that could be closed off with either a curtain or by closing the sliding pocket doors. The foyer of the house opened onto both the front and the back porch. The schoolroom was attached to the rear porch. This building is now the museum of the property. Up on the second floor are two large sleeping rooms, each including their own fireplace. For heat, the house has a total of five fireplaces. Imagine keeping enough wood to keep five fireplaces burning all winter!!
The kitchen was out back but attached to the remainder of the house by the rear porch. It was typical to have the kitchen removed from the house proper to keep the heat out of the main house. Next to the cookhouse was the outhouse so when the outhouse needed to be used it could require quite a run in the dark or cold to get to the outhouse when nature called.
Today, it is on the most popular Alabama attractions. The farm is also the location of the Living History and Battle Reenactment – both in the spring and the fall.
