Tuscumbia in Colbert County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)

William Winston Home

Photographed by Sandra Hughes, July 27, 2009

1. William Winston Home Marker

Inscription.
Construction on the home which became the center building of Deshler High School was begun in 1824 by Clark T. Barton. William Winston purchased and completed the Georgian-style dwelling in 1833. The largest remaining antebellum house in Tuscumbia, it features a winding staircase, eight fireplaces, and ten original closets along with an inscription on the cellar wall written during the Union occupation saying: "It is a damn shame to destroy this mansion." Original log kitchen placed at N.W. rear corner to avoid having fire too near to the house. Listed on the National Register of Historic places, Apr. 1982.

House and property purchased by the city of Tuscumbia in 1948 for site of new Deshler campus, relocating from property bequeathed by Major David Deshler (from his Main St. residence, 3 blocks north) memorializing his son, Brig. Gen. James Deshler, C.S.A., killed leading charge at Battle of Chickamauga, Sept. 20, 1863.

William Winston (1789-1857)-father of Alabama Gov. John Anthony Winston; grandfather of Maud Lindsey, famed educator and author of children's books; father-in-law of Robert Burns Lindsay, only foreign-born

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governor of Alabama. Winston family cemetery located approximately one mile N.W. of the house.

Erected 1996 by Alabama Historical Association.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Government & Politics • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Alabama Historical Association series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1824.

Location. 34° 44.268′ N, 87° 42.077′ W. Marker is in Tuscumbia, Alabama, in Colbert County. It is on North Commons Street East east of North Dickinson Street, on the right when traveling east. The marker stands in front of Deshler High School. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: a11 N Commons St E, Tuscumbia AL 35674, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Alabama

and in the Shoals.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Deep South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself

Photographed by Sandra Hughes Tidwell, April 19, 2025

2. William Winston Home Marker

in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Yellow Fever Epidemic 1878 / The 31 Victims of Yellow Fever Who died in Tuscumbia (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Gov. Robert Burns Lindsay / Maud McKnight Lindsay (about 700 feet away); Ethel Davis Plaza (approx. 0.2 miles away); St. John's Episcopal Church (approx. ¼ mile away); Ivy Green (approx. ¼ mile away); The Purple Heart / Military Order of the Purple Heart (approx. 0.3 miles away); Colbert County World War II Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Colbert County Persian Gulf War Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tuscumbia.

Also see . . .
1. Winston Home. Winston Home National Register Nomination Boosts Tuscumbia Restoration Effort article by Beth Garfrerick (Submitted on March 13, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA.)

2. John A. Winston (1853-57). Encyclopedia of Alabama website entry (Submitted on August 26, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

3. Alabama Womens's Hall of Fame.

William Winston Home image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sandra Hughes, July 27, 2009

3. William Winston Home

Maud McKnight Lindsay (1874-1941) (Submitted on March 13, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA.)

4. Robert Burns Lindsay (1870-72). Encyclopedia of Alabama entry (Submitted on March 13, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA.)

5. James Deshler. James Deshler (February 18, 1833 – September 20, 1863) was a career United States Army officer and a graduate of West Point. He was a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War and died on the field of battle (Submitted on March 13, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA.)

6. Battle of Chickamauga. The Battle of Chickamauga, fought September 19–20, 1863,marked the end of a Union offensive in southeastern Tennessee and northwestern Georgia called the Chickamauga Campaign. (Submitted on March 13, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA.)

7. A tornado victim returns–William Winston House. On November 22, 1874, as a tornado bore down upon her home, Judith Winston, the lady of the house tried to take cover. She failed, and was crushed beneath rubble. Her

William Winston image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Encyclopedia of Alabama, unknown

4. William Winston

sons pulled her from the wreckage still alive, but she lived only a little while. According to Debra Johnson, she breathed her last in the front bedroom on the eastern side of the house. (Submitted on April 19, 2025, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA.)

<i>FRONT ELEVATION - William Winston House, North Commons Street, Tuscumbia, Colbert County, AL</i> image. Click for full size.

Photographed by W.N. Manning, March 8, 1934

5. FRONT ELEVATION - William Winston House, North Commons Street, Tuscumbia, Colbert County, AL

Photo courtesy of the Historic American Buildings Survey.

Photographed by Sandra Hughes Tidwell, April 19, 2025

6. William Winston Home Marker

Brig. Gen. James Deshler image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sandra Hughes Tidwell, April 19, 2025

7. Brig. Gen. James Deshler

James Desher's photo is hanging on the wall inside the Winston Home.

Photographed by Sandra Hughes Tidwell, April 19, 2025

8. William Winston Home Marker

The Winding staircase inside the Winston Home.

Winston Home built 1824 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Sandra Hughes Tidwell, April 19, 2025

9. Winston Home built 1824

Has been entered in the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior William Winston Home Deshler High School 1979 Helen Keller Festival Historic Tour Presented to Dr. Robert Clemmons, Tuscumbia City Schools by the Tennessee Valley Historical Society

Credits. This page was last revised on May 29, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 13, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. This page has been viewed 6,141 times since then and 156 times this year. Last updated on May 29, 2025, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. Photos: 1. submitted on March 13, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. 2. submitted on May 29, 2025, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. 3. submitted on March 13, 2010, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. 4. submitted on September 29, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 5. submitted on February 7, 2015. 6, 7, 8. submitted on April 19, 2025, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. 9. submitted on April 24, 2025, by Sandra Hughes Tidwell of Killen, Alabama, USA. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.