Behind the Big House
Two-story brick slave quarters like the
one before you were not typical, but they
could be found in wealthy towns like
Cahaba. Stephen Barker built these brick quarters and a fine brick home for himself in 1861 on the northern edge of town. After the Civil War, Confederate veteran Samuel McCurdy Kirkpatrick and his wife, Sarah, purchased Barker's large home and all of its outlying structures As other residents started to abandon Cahaba, the Kirkpatricks purchased the vacated lots. They transformed the dying town into a large farm. For nearly seventy years, three generations of Kirkpatricks managed a model farm here call “Kirk-View."
When the mansion burned in 1935,
Kirkpatrick's grandson created a home
for his new bride by adding columns and
a back wing to the old slave quarters. The
columns were removed in 2017.
Erected by the Alabama Historical Commission.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places. A significant historical year for this entry is 1861.
Location. 32° 19.427′ N, 87° 5.87′ W. Marker
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Duke of Cahaba (a few steps from this marker); Death in the Street (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Hole That Was Once a Row (approx. 0.3 miles away); Who Lived Here? (approx. 0.3 miles away); Drug Store & the Rooms Above (approx. 0.3 miles away); Drug Store & the Room Above (approx. 0.3 miles away); Yankees in Cahawba (approx. 0.4 miles away); Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cahaba.
More about this marker. This marker replaces an older marker, with same title and some of the same text.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 2, 2020. It was originally submitted on June 2, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 444 times since then and 263 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 2, 2020, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
