Historic Alabama Mansion With Double-Winding Staircase Hits the Market for $398,000

Imagine finding a historic property with seven fireplaces, five bedrooms, and a gorgeous double staircase for less than the average price of a studio apartment in Manhattan.

That's exactly what you might score in Selma, AL, where one homeowner has put his historic 5,000-square-foot mansion on the market for less than $400,000.

William Henry moved to the prestigious Selma address about a year ago to serve as the site director for Old Cahawba Archaeological Park. He was drawn to the home's history and grand scale and did a bunch of digging into its lineage.

But, he says, after a year of living in the mansion, he and his wife are moving on.

"My wife has been poking me all year since we bought the house saying, 'You bought me a full-time job, you jerk.' And so finally I said, 'OK, so we're not leaving Selma; we're just trying to downsize.'" Henry tells Realtor.com®. "We bought far too big of a house, and I love my house. If it were up to me, I wouldn't be selling it at all. But you know, as they say—happy wife, happy life."

It's easy to see why Henry's wife might feel overwhelmed. The 2-acre property has 19 rooms total, including five bedrooms and four bathrooms, as well as a sunroom and a great room. There's also a guesthouse with great built-ins—in need of some rehab—that sits directly behind the main home.

History in its walls

Henry considers himself a bit of a history buff and took pleasure in researching the home's history. He was able to trace it back to Heflin Berry, who purchased the land in the late 1800s. Berry was the county's first circuit court judge and a colorful figure.

According to Henry, after graduating from law school, Berry got into a fistfight with another lawyer in downtown Selma. He and the other lawyer were successfully able to argue their way out of charges.

Berry was a major advocate for Selma, pushing for roads and schools to be built in the area and was able to influence some of the area's heavy hitters to plant roots nearby. In the early 1900s, Berry sold the land to the Tate family, a prominent lumber purveyor. When the Tates moved in, the area's reputation grew.

"All of the other houses that are on that road were built in the mid-1920s following the Tates," says Henry. "All of these houses were built because of our house. They wanted to be near such a magnificent estate."

"A lot of the lumber that was used for the house was sourced from their lumber yards, and it's of the highest quality of that period that you can get," says Henry.

After about 15 years, the home was sold to the Henry family—no relation to William—who owned a successful brick business. The Henrys added brick patios to the outside of the home.

Steep for Selma's market

Despite its relatively low listing price, the Edgewood Drive property is on the high end for Selma, where the median home price in the metro is $129,975. Low prices and a quieter life are what drive many to move to the town of 17,000, says listing agent, Sabrina Williams Miller, of Covenant Realty.

Miller says the home's unique features could make it a great event venue or short-term rental.

"It would be good for holding events, like a fashion show or something like that, where they can come down the steps at the same time, or even for a wedding," Miller tells Realtor.com.

She adds that she's seen an increased interest in the area in recent months.

"It's starting to thrive, as more people are preferring a more countrylike style, or they're trying to get away from the city life," she says.

In recent months, Miller says she's received real estate inquiries from people in Florida, California, and Chicago—all craving more space.

"You don't have neighbors right up on you, and it's just more peaceful and quiet," she says.

That's part of what drew Henry to the home.

"The house is very private. It's very quiet. It has a concrete and brick wall that fully surrounds the property with a security gate," he says.

And while he's sad to leave his Southern Gothic mansion, he's hoping that someone can move in and appreciate all the home and neighborhood have to offer.

"This house is in a really good location if you want to be well connected to your grocery stores, your restaurants, your things like that," Henry says. "Almost every Saturday morning, she will wake me up and we've got a one-minute drive or a short walk down to a breakfast place. We're two minutes to our grocery store, everything is right there."