The Swift-Coles Historic Home is now open to the public for summer tours. The guided tours leads visitors through the 16 room historic tidewater mansion and grounds to experience how life along the Bon Secour River would have been nearly 100 years ago. Originally built around 1882 as a four room home for the Charles A. Swift family, in 1902 the home grew to 16 rooms in order to accommodate overnight guests arriving via ferry from Mobile.
In 1976, Nik Coles purchased the home and began a lengthy and thorough restoration (complete with sited ghost who protested the restoration). Upon his death, the Swift-Coles Home was willed to the Baldwin County Historic Development Commission.
Today the Baldwin County Department of Archives and History and the Baldwin County Historic Development Commission continue restoration projects to the home and grounds in order to make it available to the public as a museum.
The restoration of the Swift-Coles Historic Home is part of the Baldwin County's Bicentennial celebration, commemorating 200 years of Baldwin County's rich and diverse heritage.
As for the real live rooster, who greets visitors at the entrance of the home, I would love to find out his story, perhaps you will on your visit to the Swift Homes Historical Home, and please fill me in!
Tours will be held on the following schedule:
Swift-Coles Historic Home Summer Tour Schedule
17424 Swift Coles Lane
Bon Secour, AL 36511
Tuesdays and Saturdays
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
(last tour begins at 3:00 p.m.)
Admission: $3.00
For more information or to schedule private tours contact the Baldwin County
Department of Archives and History at (251) 580-1897.
Driving Directions to Swift-Coles House
From Foley or Gulf Shores take Highway 59 to County Road 10 west to the intersection of County Road 49. Turn left onto County Road 49 and travel approximately 500 yards to Swift-Coles Lane on left.
Posts
6 comments:
I love home tours....this sounds like a good one! always seems when they have those around my home, I'm booked with something!
And, BTW, I have to tell you, when I do my blog reading, I go to yours first, for some good readin' and the tunes, then read all the others with your tunes playing. Just puts me in a perky mood! Thanks, Leigh!
I am going to have to check it out! Sounds very interesting - great pictures.
I'm going to be in Gulf Shores in a week or so - so this may be on my agenda!!
I'm also thinking that you and I may have to meet up since I'll be fairly close. Maybe meet halfway? We'll talk more when I know more :)
love those!!!!!!! we are glad you are back!
Sounds like fun. Have you done the home tours in Eufaula ever? They are in the spring.
I just loved the Rooster! Especially trying to start a fight with the "other" rooster (reflection) in the car bumper.
Enjoyed the home tour, also! Couldn't you go back in time and relive some of those times of long ago. The hard work, the good meals served and visits from local folk....alotta front porch "sitt'n" on summer days, battening down the hatches for the hurricanes. I bet that house can talk!!
Post a Comment