HHC Tour Guide

Huntsville
History Tour

Directions

PUT TEXT DIRECTIONS HERE

To get to 517 Franklin from 515 Franklin:

Continue down Franklin Street and stop in front of the house at 517 Franklin.

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Site Description

517 Franklin Street SE
Thomas Fearn House, ca. 1820

This was once the home of Dr. Thomas Fearn who came to Huntsville in 1814 as a surgeon in charge of the military hospital, by appointment from General Andrew Jackson. Many settlers were wounded in the battles with the dreadful Creek Indians to the south.

Fearn built this house in 1820, as a Federal half house. In 1849, as his family grew, he asked local architect George Steele, to add the two southern bays, doubling the size of the house. Here one can see clearly the addition line on the right side of the house.

Dr. Fearn and eleven other prominent citizens were jailed during the Civil War by Federal authorities that demanded they sign a statement against guerilla warfare. The group, mostly elderly, did sign, but Dr. Fearn's health was broken and he died in 1863.

Dr. Fearn's many accomplishments included development of the Indian River Canal to the Tennessee River, the city waterworks and other road improvements. He pioneered the use of quinine for the treatment of Malaria. His biggest accomplishment, though, might be that he raised seven daughters after his wife died.

More Information

Dr.
Thomas
Fearn
Audio
History
HJAC
Exterior
1964
HJAC
Exterior
1972
HJAC
Exterior
1997
HJAC
Exterior
1997
HJAC
Brick Walk
1997
HABS
Exterior
1934
HABS
Interior
1935
HABS
Interior
1935
HABS
Interior
1935
HABS
Interior
1935
HABS
Interior
1935
HABS
Interior
1935
HABS
Interior
1935
HABS
Interior
1935
HABS
Interior
1935
HABS
Interior
1935
HABS
Interior
1934
HABS
Drawing
1936
HABS
Drawing
1936
HABS
Drawing
1936
HABS
Drawing
1936
HABS
Drawing
1936
HABS
Drawing
1936
HABS
Drawing
1936
HABS
Drawing
1936
HABS
Drawing
1936
HABS
Drawing
1936

For more information about
the History and Architecture of Huntsville,
visit

The Huntsville History Collection

or The Heritage Room at the
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library.

About

Huntsville History Tour

Thanks to:
John Malone, Narrator,
Lite 96.9 WRSA
Jacque Reeves, Narrator
Nancy Rohr, Narrator
Nate "Adams" Cholevik, Producer,
Lite 96.9 WRSA
Deane Dayton, App Developer,
Huntsville History Collection

Narration & Tour Design © 2014
Huntsville Madison County
Convention & Visitors Bureau
500 Church Street NW, Suite One
Huntsville, AL 35801
800-Space-4-U (256-772-2348)
Huntsville.org

Web App & Images © 2014
Huntsville History Collection
HuntsvilleHistoryCollection.org
webmaster@huntsvillehistorycollection.org

Tour version 3.0
TourGuide version 1.0

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Dr. Thomas Fearn

Dr. Thomas Fearn, who resided at 517 Franklin Street, was an early Huntsville resident. He played major roles in building the Indian Creek Canal, expanding the city's waterworks through the use of cedar logs, developing the community of Viduta on Monte Sano and advocating the use of quinine to treat malaria.

Huntsville-Madison County
Public Library

Rights: Huntsville Madison County Public Library

More information about Dr. Thomas Fearn

Audio History

Audio History of 517 Franklin Street

Nancy Rohr
Local Historian & Author

By: Nancy Rohr

Rights: Reproduced with the permission of Nancy Rohr

Date: 2011

HJAC Exterior 1964

517 Franklin Street SE

Architectural Collection of Harvie P. Jones, FAIA

By: Harvie Jones

Rights: Architectural Collection of Harvie P. Jones, FAIA, Dept. of Archives/Special Collections, M. Louis Salmon Library, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL.

Date: c1964

HJAC Exterior 1972

517 Franklin Street SE

Architectural Collection of Harvie P. Jones, FAIA

By: Carey Cooper

Rights: Architectural Collection of Harvie P. Jones, FAIA, Dept. of Archives/Special Collections, M. Louis Salmon Library, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL.

Date: c1972

HJAC Exterior 1997

Pilaster caps gone at main cornice (still at office). They were gone by the 1930's HABS.

Architectural Collection of Harvie P. Jones, FAIA

By: Harvie Jones

Rights: Architectural Collection of Harvie P. Jones, FAIA, Dept. of Archives/Special Collections, M. Louis Salmon Library, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL.

Date: c1997

HJAC Exterior 1997

Enclosed swimming pool c. 1980, Lloyd Kranart, Arch., for Olin King.

Architectural Collection of Harvie P. Jones, FAIA

By: Harvie Jones

Rights: Architectural Collection of Harvie P. Jones, FAIA, Dept. of Archives/Special Collections, M. Louis Salmon Library, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL.

Date: c1997

HJAC Brick Walk 1997

19th Century brick walk.

Architectural Collection of Harvie P. Jones, FAIA

By: Harvie Jones

Rights: Architectural Collection of Harvie P. Jones, FAIA, Dept. of Archives/Special Collections, M. Louis Salmon Library, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL.

Date: c1997

HABS Exterior 1934

Historic American Buildings Survey W. N. Manning, Photographer, Feb. 3, 1934. FRONT VIEW. HABS ALA,45-HUVI,7-1

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress; . N. Manning

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1934

HABS Interior 1935

Historic American Buildings Survey Alex Bush, Photographer, May 23, 1935 MANTEL IN DINING ROOM, WEST OF HALL. HABS ALA,45-HUVI,7-10

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress; lex Bush

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1935

HABS Interior 1935

Historic American Buildings Survey Alex Bush, Photographer, May 23, 1935 MANTEL IN FRONT (S.W.) ROOM ON 1st FLOOR. HABS ALA,45-HUVI,7-11

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress; lex Bush

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1935

HABS Interior 1935

Historic American Buildings Survey Alex Bush, Photographer, May 23, 1935 FRONT (W) AND S. SIDE OF SMOKE HOUSE. HABS ALA,45-HUVI,7-12

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress; lex Bush

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1935

HABS Interior 1935

Historic American Buildings Survey W. N. Manning, Photographer, Feb. 3, 1934. REAR VIEW. HABS ALA,45-HUVI,7-2

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress; . N. Manning

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1934

HABS Interior 1935

Historic American Buildings Survey Alex Bush, Photographer, May 23, 1935 CLOSE-UP OF FRONT, TOWARD E., FACES SOUTH. HABS ALA,45-HUVI,7-3

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress; lex Bush

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1935

HABS Interior 1935

Historic American Buildings Survey W. N. Manning, Photographer, Feb. 3, 1934. STAIRS (TOWARD REAR). HABS ALA,45-HUVI,7-4

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress; . N. Manning

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1934

HABS Interior 1935

Historic American Buildings Survey Alex Bush, Photographer, May 23, 1935 VIEW THROUGH LARGE DOORWAY OF DINING ROOM INTO HALL, SHOWING STAIRS. HABS ALA,45-HUVI,7-5

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress; lex Bush

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1935

HABS Interior 1935

Historic American Buildings Survey Alex Bush, Photographer, May 23, 1935 REAR STAIRS ON EAST END OF PORCH. HABS ALA,45-HUVI,7-6

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress; lex Bush

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1935

HABS Interior 1935

Historic American Buildings Survey W. N. Manning, Photographer, Feb. 2, 1934. DETAIL FIREPLACE AND MANTLE (PARLOR). HABS ALA,45-HUVI,7-7

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress; . N. Manning

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1934

HABS Interior 1935

Historic American Buildings Survey Alex Bush, Photographer, May 23, 1935 VIEW FROM FRONT PARLOR, THROUGH LARGE DOUBLE DOORS INTO REAR PARLOR. HABS ALA,45-HUVI,7-8

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress; lex Bush

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1935

HABS Interior 1934

Historic American Buildings Survey W. N. Manning, Photographer, Feb. 2, 1934. FIREPLACE AND MANTLE (DINING ROOM). HABS ALA,45-HUVI,7-9

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress; . N. Manning

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1934

HABS Drawing 1936

517 Franklin Street SE

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1936

HABS Drawing 1936

517 Franklin Street SE

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1936

HABS Drawing 1936

517 Franklin Street SE

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1936

HABS Drawing 1936

517 Franklin Street SE

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1936

HABS Drawing 1936

517 Franklin Street SE

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1936

HABS Drawing 1936

517 Franklin Street SE

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1936

HABS Drawing 1936

517 Franklin Street SE

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1936

HABS Drawing 1936

517 Franklin Street SE

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1936

HABS Drawing 1936

517 Franklin Street SE

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1936

HABS Drawing 1936

517 Franklin Street SE

Historic American
Buildings Survey

By: Library of Congress

Rights: Historical American Buildings Survey

Date: c1936

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