Wagarville in Washington County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
The Sullivan Cabin
The spraddle roof as seen from the gable end puts porches under the main house roof. Wide over - hanging eaves extend the roof beyond the chimney. Long logs on the corners of the pens at ceiling height extend front to back to support the porch roof. Logs are plainly notched without dovetails or chinking: battens cover the spaces. Timbers are hand-hewn (ax marks still visible) and some floorboards are as wide as 20 inches, with large sills in the foundation beneath The original pillars probably were large round-log sections. The two back shed rooms were probably added later as Gibeon's family grew.
Reverse
When the home was completed in 1874, Gibeon nailed three boards together to create a "cooling board" The feature turned his front porch into a place of central importance to the Wagarville community. When a death occurred. the board was used by neighbors to transport the body back to Gibeon's home where it was prepared for burial. As one of the few homes in Washington County with a cooling board, the Sullivan Cabin became a community gathering place where people came to grieve, pay respects, and find comfort.
The cabin remained Gibeon Sullivan's residence until he died in 1914, when it passed to his grandson, G.G. Sullivan, who lived here until his death in 1960. At G. G. Sullivan's death, the cabin became the property of D.K. Sullivan, who maintained it faithfully all of his life. His heirs sold the cabin to other Sullivan descendants, who gave it to the Pvt. Gibeon Jefferson Sullivan Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in June 2009.
Erected 2013 by Alabama Historical Association.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Notable Buildings • Settlements & Settlers • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Alabama Historical Association series list. A significant historical month for this entry is June 2009.
Location. 31° 26.64′ N, 88° 2.646′ W. Marker is in Wagarville, Alabama, in Washington County. Marker is on Alabama Route 56, 0.8 miles west of U.S. 43, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 26320 AL-56, Wagarville AL 36585, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Bassetts Creek (approx. 1.6 miles away); Old St. Stephens Masonic Lodge No. 9 (1821-1834)/St. Stephens Lodge No. 81 (approx. 6.7 miles away); The Taylor House (approx. 6.8 miles away); The Clarke County War Memorial (approx. 9.7 miles away); CSA Brooke Cannon S-96 (approx. 9.8 miles away); Jackson (approx. 9.8 miles away); City of Jackson (approx. 9.8 miles away); First District Agricultural College and Experiment Station (approx. 10.1 miles away).
Also see . . . Rural Southwest Alabama article about the Sullivan Cabin. (Submitted on August 24, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 24, 2018. It was originally submitted on August 24, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 462 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on August 24, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.