Sweet Home / Henry W. Sweet

Sweet Home, also, Henry W. Sweet. . This house was built in 1906 by architect William E. Benns for H. W. Sweet at a cost of $10,000. The house uniquely blended the Queen Anne and Neo-Classical architectural styles, featuring two identical pedimented entrance porticos supported by fluted Composite-order columns, full-length wrap around porches on the first and second stories, and an octagonal corner tower. H. W. Sweet (1866-1919) a native of South Carolina, was Bessemer's first undertaker and a furniture merchant. Henry W. Sweet (1902-1990) was his and Mattie Breen Sweet's (1865-1946) only child. Henry married Lucile Lytle (1902-1986) in 1925., Reverse: Sweet Home. , Henry Wilson Sweet (1902-1990) contributed greatly to the economic, political and civic life of Alabama, Jefferson County, and Bessemer. As Jefferson County Commissioner, he helped bring the University of Alabama Medical Center to Birmingham, signing the deed conveying land and the Hillman - Jefferson Hospital Complex to UAB. Sweet was Director of the Alabama and Georgia State Docks and a candidate for Governor in 1954. While he was Alabama Docks Director, Mobile achieved its highest ever U.S. ports ranking. He also served as Treasurer of the Bessemer Division of Jefferson County, President of the American Association of Ports Authorities, and an International Director of Lions Clubs.