Road Trips: Burritt on the Mountain

While we were in Alabama for Thanksgiving, we went on a few adventures, but for Adventure Friday, we invited Uncle Benji along to visit Burritt on the Mountain in Huntsville, Alabama. Mother had been here before on a field trip, but I had never been. It fit in with our desire to explore different areas and get glimpses of history, so I thought it looked like a fun destination.

All of todays photos were taken by Ruth.

The first thing we did upon arrival was to tour Dr. Burritt's house. He was born in the city of Huntsville in 1869, and like his father and grandfather before him was a homeopathic doctor. After two marriages where his wives predeceased him, and time spent living outside of Alabama, he retired back in his home town where he purchased 167 acres on Round Top Mountain which is a part of Monte Sano. Construction on the uniquely x shaped house began in 1934 and lasted for two years. He used stone from the mountain and local trees to build the house and then insulated it with wheat straw. However, the night before moving into the newly finished home, it burned down. So he rebuilt, this time using concrete and a concrete-fiber shingle to replace much of the wood in the original house. As a holistic doctor he thought natural light was extraordinarily important to good health, so each of the rooms in the house have windows on three walls. Providing excellent cross breezes in the summer time and taking advantage of winter light to help warm the house. While we were there no one else was in the house, and they were decorating for Christmas so we had the pleasure of having a free guided tour through the house.

Dr. Burritt was a unique individual, having an especially unique car a 1949 DeSoto. Ordered before World War II broke out, automotive production was ceased in order to produce weapons, aircraft, etc for the war effort. It is a unique blend of both pre WWII and post WWII engineering. Additionally, he chose to have a right side drivers seat. This was because the mountain that he lived on is rather steep and there was only the very narrow one way driveway going up the mountain. Often in the evening when he would arrive home the fog had already settled on the mountain, and so he felt safer if he could drive up the mountain seeing the edge of the limestone walls right against the drivers side, rather than looking for the narrow edge of the road. He lived in the house up until his death in 1955, at which point he donated the home and the land to the city of Huntsville, since he never had any children.

After exploring the house, we wandered over to the Historic Park and Barnyard. There are a number of cabins and buildings from the mid nineteenth century up until the 1930s. They are all buildings from North Alabama and south central Tennessee, showing a way of life in the Tennessee Valley of the Cumberland Mountains. We began at the oldest and walked through up until the newest. The kids were able to identify lots of objects and their uses from our previous trips to early republic sites up through the Civil War. They especially found the house from the 1930s interesting as we've not really had the opportunity to explore much from that time period.

There was also a replica of the Rosenwald School houses on site. A partner ship between the Jewish president of Sears and Roebuck, Julius Rosenwald, and educator, Booker T. Washington, over almost 20 years in 15 states over 5,000 new schools were constructed. This particular school has two classrooms one for younger children and a second for older children. They were places that not only educated students but provided opportunities to learn trades and life skills for both boys and girls. There were so many interesting historical photos and newspaper articles about the schools along the walls and they also offer a program for 4th graders at the site today. Additionally, Burritt on the Mountain offers numerous homeschool classes for various ages. Finally there are also various maker classes that anyone can take part in each week.

Perhaps the most amazing moment was looking down the mountain at all of Huntsville spread out before us. It was an exceptionally clear, cold day and we were able to see the Space and Rocket Center and all the way to the Tennessee River. We had a great time but due to the expense I'm not sure if we will go again, though it might be nice to make a trip in the summer when there are more historical interpreters demonstrating crafts and life skills of the mid nineteenth century. If you'd like to make a trip the address to Burritt on the Mountain is 3101 Burritt Drive SE Huntsville, Alabama. They're open Tuesday through Saturday 9-5, and Sunday noon to 5. Of course, you can always call for more information at 256-536-2882. Entrance to the park costs $12 for an adult, $8 for children.