William King Beck House
Encyclopedia
The William King Beck House, also known as River Bluff Plantation, is a historic plantation
on the Alabama River
near Camden
, Alabama
. The main house was built in 1845 for William King Beck and is attributed to architect Alexander J. Bragg. William King Beck was an attorney from North Carolina
who migrated to Wilcox County in the 1820s. He was the nephew of William Rufus King, the 13th Vice President of the United States
.
The house is a one-story wood-frame building with six octagonal columns supporting a full-width front porch under the main roof. It is an example of the Greek Revival
Cottage style. The roof line was altered in the late 19th century, when the original hipped roof was replaced with a pyramidal type. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places
on May 21, 1993.
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...
on the Alabama River
Alabama River
The Alabama River, in the U.S. state of Alabama, is formed by the Tallapoosa and Coosa rivers, which unite about north of Montgomery.The river flows west to Selma, then southwest until, about from Mobile, it unites with the Tombigbee, forming the Mobile and Tensaw rivers, which discharge into...
near Camden
Camden, Alabama
Camden is a city in Wilcox County, Alabama, United States. The population was 2,257 at the 2000 census, at which time it was a town.-Geography:Camden is located at ....
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. The main house was built in 1845 for William King Beck and is attributed to architect Alexander J. Bragg. William King Beck was an attorney from North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
who migrated to Wilcox County in the 1820s. He was the nephew of William Rufus King, the 13th Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
.
The house is a one-story wood-frame building with six octagonal columns supporting a full-width front porch under the main roof. It is an example of the Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
Cottage style. The roof line was altered in the late 19th century, when the original hipped roof was replaced with a pyramidal type. The house was added to 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 May 21, 1993.