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What are Antebellum Homes?

Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis

Antebellum homes are estates and mansions built in the Southern United States in the years preceding the American Civil War. Associated with both the height of high-society Southern graciousness and the depths of pre-emancipation America, these homes hold a melancholy and unique place in architectural history. Antebellum homes draw from a variety of European styles and are often a spectacular mishmash of stylistic influences.

Before the ravages of the Civil War, the wealthy population of the South was famous for magnificent dwellings that were built with entertaining in mind. The term antebellum, a Latin word for “before the war,” was given to these plantation homes later on, commemorating the sad grandeur of the Old South. While it is impossible to consider the historic homes without acknowledging the slave labor that often built them and the tragic conditions that lay behind the sumptuous style, the architectural significance of antebellum homes remains a major influence on modern American design.

Many antebellum homes were influenced by classical Greek architecture, especially the use of columns.
Many antebellum homes were influenced by classical Greek architecture, especially the use of columns.

Several architectural styles influenced the design and materials for antebellum homes. Many are notable for their nods toward Greek revivalism, seen most clearly in the iconic columns that adorn home entrances. These enormous pillars served several purposes; in addition to adding grandeur to the exterior, they allowed for the construction of wide, shady balconies and porches, often on multiple levels. In the days before air-conditioning, these cool stone escapes were often the only relief from the sweltering humidity and heat of the South.

Antebellum homes include estates and mansions built in the southern U.S. before the Civil War.
Antebellum homes include estates and mansions built in the southern U.S. before the Civil War.

The balconies and porches of antebellum homes are often surrounded by exquisitely detailed barriers and low fences, usually wrought from iron or other metals. These fences were meant to prevent people from entering, but also add considerable beauty to the exterior of the house. The metal work often depicts flowers, leaves, and vines.

Symmetrical, shuttered windows, often referred to as “plantation windows,” were borrowed from a variety of styles, including classicism and the federalist styles of the northeastern United States. These windows were often narrow rectangles that center around the central door to the house, sided with exterior shutters painted in a contrasting color.

The most famous of all antebellum homes is Tara, the magnificent mansion depicted in the 1939 film Gone with the Wind. This iconic Hollywood image was only a facade, but firmly established the pinnacle of antebellum architecture in the minds of many. Tara is famous not only for its style but for its metaphorical representation of the beauty of the pre-war South.

Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis

With a B.A. in theater from UCLA and a graduate degree in screenwriting from the American Film Institute, Jessica is passionate about drama and film. She has many other interests, and enjoys learning and writing about a wide range of topics in her role as a HomeQuestionsAnswered writer.

Learn more...
Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis

With a B.A. in theater from UCLA and a graduate degree in screenwriting from the American Film Institute, Jessica is passionate about drama and film. She has many other interests, and enjoys learning and writing about a wide range of topics in her role as a HomeQuestionsAnswered writer.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

Cageybird

@Reminiscence, I suppose it depends on the role an area played during the Civil War that makes a difference. I've have taken an antebellum home tour featuring dozens of plantation homes that survived after the war. There wasn't much military activity in that part of Mississippi during the war, however. It stayed mostly under Confederate control.

I highly recommend taking an organized tour of antebellum homes if you find yourself in the southeastern part of the United States. Many of them have been converted into bed and breakfast facilities or museums.

Reminiscence

The Southern city I live in now was occupied by Union forces during much of the Civil War. One antebellum home was used to house officers, while another was used as military headquarters. The state bank building became a hospital. In total, only four buildings were left standing after the Civil War. The rest burned to the ground. This is why visiting a true antebellum home is so special. There aren't very many around these days.

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    • Many antebellum homes were influenced by classical Greek architecture, especially the use of columns.
      By: aarochas
      Many antebellum homes were influenced by classical Greek architecture, especially the use of columns.
    • Antebellum homes include estates and mansions built in the southern U.S. before the Civil War.
      By: AStargirl
      Antebellum homes include estates and mansions built in the southern U.S. before the Civil War.