The home was built in 1848, before the Civil War began. It was made from bricks that were made on-site with the red clay inherit to the area. The owner was Reverend Thomas Brown, a circuit preacher of the Presbyterian faith. Reverend Brown was probably considered wealthy for that time period, and he used his influence in the area to raise funds for the building of Maryville College (Maryville, Tennessee). In fact, his work for the college was so successful, it is thought that, without it, the college would not still be operating in the current day.
Reverend Brown was also an abolitionist, and it is rumored that he may have helped slaves escape to the North. What is a known fact is that the Battle of Philadelphia (TN) occurred during the month of October, 1863. A lesser known battle than the Battle of Chickamauga or the Battle at Campbell Station, Philadelphia was still an important battle. The Union was soundly defeated by the Confederates, and approximately 700 Union soldiers were taken as prisoners of war. We know that the battle took place near our property, and have heard, but not confirmed, that our house was used as a field hospital during that time, probably housing many of those Union prisoners. The house also has several "hiding" places, where the Browns' hid their valuables during this period. One is located under our refrigerator today.
That's the history of our home. Yes, it is interesting, and the home is indeed stately. But it is also 167 years old, and with that comes many, many problems!
Brick homes last for many years, but they are not indestructible. While it's survived Mother Nature's bullets, it hasn't always withstood that 20th century cannon, the automobile. At some point, the house has been hit by a car which knocked down the front portico, one that has gone over the brick wall that shores up the front yard, and hit the side of the barn. Those are the ones we know of! All these damages were fixable, but we're still waiting for that one accident that takes out a wall.
Problems also occur when you add modern facilities to old homes. We have modern plumbing, of course, but it is hooked into the original spring house, which means that we have quite a few periods of dirty water, low water pressure, or no water at all. And leaks are our problem to fix, not the local utility company. The electricity has been upgraded, but we still have that old house problem of too few outlets. Extension cords are part of our décor. Even adding art to the walls is difficult; try to hammer a nail into 13" thick brick walls!
But for all it's faults, we love this old home! With fireplaces in every room, the original hardwood floors, beautifully crafted cornices and handrails, and the old claw foot tub in the master bathroom, it is a beautiful place.
Outside, with nearly four acres, we are able to witness nature in its finest form. Some days, it seems we live in a bird sanctuary. Cardinals, wrens, woodpeckers, and other birds are numerous. The trees in our front yard are enormous. Some are obviously well over 100 years old. The squirrels jump around happily, and share in the chickens' seed. The dogs romp around (and dig up!) the back yard. The guineas and chickens roam the property, making the rounds several times a day. You can always sit and listen to something making noise around here!
Yes, I love this old house. It drives me crazy, I can't keep it clean, the animals have destroyed parts of the yard, and something is always broken or not working, but it's our home. It's where we make our memories together and it's the home our daughter will remember when she's older. Home. There's no better place to be.
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