Houston-Bailey House

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Former site of the Houston-Bailey House, built ca. 1835 as a residence by Matthew C. Houston, a founding citizen and early merchant of Livingston. The home was visited by his cousin, Sam Houston, in 1845. Later residents included Adolph Brown, who with his brother established the first bank in Livingston. Charles C. Bailey purchased the home in the 1940s and resided there until 1975. For a short time, the home was also used as a boarding house for young men attending the State Teachers College (now University of West Alabama). The Houston-Bailey House was significant as one of the town’s best examples of Federal-period domestic architecture. This early American style was prevalent in Alabama from the late 1700s until the late 1830s, when it was supplanted by the more popular Greek Revival style. The house’s “Anglo-Palladian” façade, which formally divided the front of the dwelling into three parts (window-door-window), was especially important as the only example in the area, and one of the few in south Alabama.

Placed by First Presbyterian Church in memory of Dr. Louis Smith. [100 North Washington Street, Livingston]