Noble Hall
Encyclopedia
Noble Hall, also known as the Frazer-Brown-Pearson Home, is a historic Greek Revival style plantation
house in Auburn, Alabama
. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on March 24, 1972.
plantation. The house was constructed utilizing rock masonry
, with eight rooms featuring 12 foot (3.7 m) ceilings and 18 inch (46 cm) thick exterior walls. The front and rear both feature full-width cantilevered balconies and four monumental Doric
columns, for a total of eight. Built behind the home were the exterior kitchen, carriage and smokehouse, and overseer's house. As with most of the larger plantation houses in the antebellum South
, Noble Hall was built with slave labor, though the owner brought in a contractor from Kentucky
to manage the construction.
During the American Civil War
, the home housed a number of sick and injured Confederate
soldiers. Toward the end of the war, Union
troops came to ransack the mansion, but were persuaded to take only the horses and mules when one of the residents showed a Masonic
sign.
The home remained in the hands of the original owners, the Frazer family, until cotton prices collapsed in 1922. In 1932, Noble Hall was purchased by J.V. Brown, who restored the home and grounds to their original condition. In 1941, Brown sold the house and surrounding lands to Alabama Polytechnic Institute
president Luther Noble Duncan. His daughter inherited the home in 1951, and named it Noble Hall, after her father. Noble Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, making it the first structure in Lee County
to be listed.
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
house in Auburn, Alabama
Auburn, Alabama
Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama with a 2010 population of 53,380. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area...
. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on March 24, 1972.
History
Noble Hall was built in 1854 as the main residence of a 2,000 acre (8 km²) cottonCotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
plantation. The house was constructed utilizing rock masonry
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
, with eight rooms featuring 12 foot (3.7 m) ceilings and 18 inch (46 cm) thick exterior walls. The front and rear both feature full-width cantilevered balconies and four monumental Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
columns, for a total of eight. Built behind the home were the exterior kitchen, carriage and smokehouse, and overseer's house. As with most of the larger plantation houses in the antebellum South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
, Noble Hall was built with slave labor, though the owner brought in a contractor from Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
to manage the construction.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the home housed a number of sick and injured Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
soldiers. Toward the end of the war, Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
troops came to ransack the mansion, but were persuaded to take only the horses and mules when one of the residents showed a Masonic
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
sign.
The home remained in the hands of the original owners, the Frazer family, until cotton prices collapsed in 1922. In 1932, Noble Hall was purchased by J.V. Brown, who restored the home and grounds to their original condition. In 1941, Brown sold the house and surrounding lands to Alabama Polytechnic Institute
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
president Luther Noble Duncan. His daughter inherited the home in 1951, and named it Noble Hall, after her father. Noble Hall was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, making it the first structure in Lee County
Lee County, Alabama
Lee County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is named in honor of Robert E. Lee, commanding general of the Confederate Army. As of 2010 the population was 140,247. It is part of the Auburn, Alabama Metropolitan Area. The county seat is Opelika, and the largest city is Auburn...
to be listed.