Winston Place 1821

Winston Place 1821 Winston Place 1821, Inc.

is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of the property for the benefit of the community and to educate the public on the property's historical
significance.

"History keeps her secrets longer than most of us." — John le Carré …and time, or a water leak, will slowly reveal them....
03/06/2026

"History keeps her secrets longer than most of us." — John le Carré

…and time, or a water leak, will slowly reveal them. We have long suspected that when William Overton Winston finally began construction in 1843 that he reutilized many timbers of the original log cabin including the blueprint. The measurements of the front part of the house, which includes the parlor and front bedroom, matches the exact measurements from the military accession records for Ellis Emory Buffington’s cabin. These records & measurements gave us proof which led to the property becoming a Certified site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. A pesky water leak led us to the discovery of the original timbers utilized as the support system for this part of the house, and they still have the bark on them! Preserved for 183 years!
But wait we’re not done, we also discovered the base of the original hearth hidden as well. Look closely and you can see a railroad tie, presumably from the 1850s used as a support beam. This has been an exciting discovery with timbers & hearth stones from 1821 to railroad ties in the 1850s all preserved under our feet.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! There are still many things in progress with this gorgeous lady...
12/24/2025

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! There are still many things in progress with this gorgeous lady, but we were able to deck the front door with a festive swag made from native cedar. Thank you all for following us on this preservation journey there is much more to come, stay tuned!

3/3 Gratitude:We are thankful for the history lovers, those who are the boots on the ground for local history. Organizat...
11/27/2025

3/3 Gratitude:
We are thankful for the history lovers, those who are the boots on the ground for local history. Organizations such as Landmarks of Dekalb County, Alabama Inc. who assist with state register nominations and work with the Alabama Historical Commission to get those properties on the National Register of Historic Places. Property owners are vital for the preservation of these sites as well that’s why we are thankful for the Bunches, Mathews & Hammond families who took ownership of this property decades ago and have spent those decades preserving this history. Thank you!
It has been quite a while since the main veranda foundation has been seen. Please enjoy these photos that depict the many layers of history, especially the handmade bricks.



2/3 Gratitude:We’re also thankful for the generations of men & women who are the backbone of preservation. They continue...
11/27/2025

2/3 Gratitude:
We’re also thankful for the generations of men & women who are the backbone of preservation. They continue learning the craftsmanship of building from long ago so that present and future generations can experience a living history. Nothing can replace these skills and they need to be passed along. The experienced crew at Robert Johnson Roofing and Construction understands this and we are thankful for that.
Work has begun in the lower veranda and there are all kinds of treasures to see.



1/3 Gratitude:What do we have to be thankful for?Let’s start with Preservation. We’re incredibly grateful for organizati...
11/27/2025

1/3 Gratitude:
What do we have to be thankful for?
Let’s start with Preservation. We’re incredibly grateful for organizations such as the Alabama Historical Commission that serves as the state's official historic preservation agency, responsible for protecting, preserving, and interpreting Alabama's historic places through various programs and initiatives. All of these renovations taking place would not be happening if not for the grant we received from the AHC. The upper veranda is almost complete and the 100+ years old ginkgo tree has dropped its leaves for another season.

These photos were taken by Christy Miller during the northern lights event on November 12th. Aren’t they gorgeous?
11/23/2025

These photos were taken by Christy Miller during the northern lights event on November 12th. Aren’t they gorgeous?


3/3 the Verandas continued:These repairs happened at the right time. We were very close to having a catastrophic problem...
11/23/2025

3/3 the Verandas continued:
These repairs happened at the right time. We were very close to having a catastrophic problem that would have been devastating to this beautiful lady. Thanks to the expertise of Robert Johnson Roofing and Construction we have avoided that potential disaster and will be extant for the next 100 years. Stay tuned!


2/3 the Verandas continued:As you can see there are so many layers of craftsmanship within the bones of this house, and ...
11/23/2025

2/3 the Verandas continued:
As you can see there are so many layers of craftsmanship within the bones of this house, and these are only the verandas. It takes a certain level of skill to preserve that history while also improving the structure for the next generation and more. Thanks to Robert Johnson Roofing and Construction these verandas will be here indefinitely.


1/3 the Verandas continued:Sorry for the delay in posting these updates as October was a very busy month. Work steadily ...
11/23/2025

1/3 the Verandas continued:
Sorry for the delay in posting these updates as October was a very busy month. Work steadily continues on the upper veranda. It is almost complete thanks to the incredible crew at Robert Johnson Roofing and Construction!


3/3: the Verandas Repairs continue in the following weeks with Robert Johnson Roofing and Construction making sure futur...
09/28/2025

3/3: the Verandas
Repairs continue in the following weeks with Robert Johnson Roofing and Construction making sure future parties and guests can enjoy these lovely verandas for many decades to come.


2/3: the VerandasEveryday is exciting as the layers of time are peeled back to reveal the past craftsmanship. All of the...
09/28/2025

2/3: the Verandas
Everyday is exciting as the layers of time are peeled back to reveal the past craftsmanship. All of the wood and nails will be utilized for future projects or displays. These necessary repairs are made possible by a grant from the Alabama Historical Commission and the skilled crew of Robert Johnson Roofing and Construction.

The journey continues…these last few weeks the major work on the upper & lower verandas began, with the expertise of Rob...
09/28/2025

The journey continues…these last few weeks the major work on the upper & lower verandas began, with the expertise of Robert Johnson Roofing and Construction’s crew. This lady’s flounces and ruffles needed some much needed repairs for future parties and guests. 1/3: the Verandas

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353 Railroad Avenue
Valley Head, AL
35989

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