The Historic Lowry House

The Historic Lowry House is one of the most unique homes in Alabama; displaying wood from the original cabin, Federal rooms, an Italianate box main stairway, and Greek revival, Georgian, and Federal style mantles. It is one of the only Italionate homes located in the south. In 1809, John Lowry moved with his family from Virginia to Alabama and purchased land on Meridian Road in Madison County. John was the contractor for the first courthouse started in 1811. John's son Samuel (born 1792) married Elizabeth Tate, daughter of John Tate wealthy farmer, in 1816. By 1818, when the Tennessee Valley lands were surveyed and offered for sale, farmers on the worn tobacco plantations of Virginia were sending slaves by the thousands and capital amounting to millions to Madison County. By then, the land office was located in Huntsville and the Planters and Merchants Bank had been chartered, being the first bank established in the State of Alabama. In 1821, Samuel's son, John Tate Lowry was born in Madison County. John Tate Lowry married Elizabeth Allen in 1846. Elizabeth died 1847. Two years later John married Virginia H. Miller. Their son, Samuel Hickman Lowry, was born on October 16, 1850. John Tate Lowry was a member of Lowry-Hamilton and Company and had a plantation with many slaves. After the Civil War John received a pardon from the President of the United States and signed a paper agreeing to "never again own another human being." Samuel Hickman Lowry graduated from the University of Virginia, after which he attended Bellevue Medical College in New York where he received his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1873. Dr. Lowry established the first infirmary in Huntsville at the corner of Randolph Street and White Street. He had a town house in Huntsville, a summer home in Viduta on Monte Sano, and a plantation. Near the turn-of-the-century, Huntsville was the second-ranking cotton mill town in the south. Lavish homes and entertaining were enjoyed by the wealthy. Winding drives led from Meridianville Pike to the Lowry home. Mr. Louie Tippett purchased the property on May 6,1998; after four years of extensive renovation, the home was restored to its former glory. The Lowry House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of Interior on October 29, 2001.