Lee Mansion

This Federal-style farmhouse was originally part of a complex constructed in 1818 on property now owned by Redstone Arsenal. In 1818, cotton farmer James Cooper built a house for his bride, Charity. After Cooper's death, Charity married Colonel Houston Lee, and the house, known as the Lee Mansion and the nucleus of a large cotton and indigo plantation, was expanded. Between 1835 and 1940 it had several owners, including the Harris family, from whom the United States Army acquired the estate in 1941 to expand the Arsenal. The house was used as the residence of the commanding general and later as housing for visiting dignitaries. In 1973, when the Army decided it was too costly to maintain as part of Redstone Arsenal, the Darwins purchased the house and moved it to its present location. The house is a good example of early nineteenth century Federal-style architecture, and its centerpiece is a winding staircase, one of only a few remaining in the county from this period. The house was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage in March 2005.

Madison, Alabama · United States