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| source: Airbnb |
When you think of spending a holiday with your family, you probably think crowded rooms, loud halls, anxious pets and lots of smells. Last Fall, my family and I stumbled upon a modish alternative to the customary. In late November, when the leaves on the ground were all beginning to crisp, and the weather wavered between warm with light clouds and needing a coat at night, we found this quaint, quiet canary yellow two-story that’s architecture said everything historical Alabama. For a city with rich Southern history like Mobile, this was everything you'd bank to experience in the Yellowhammer State. Two short palm trees adorned the front yard, which were surrounded by much bigger yard mates that added the overall relaxing shade to the landscape. A paneled yellow house hiding beneath the antebellum oaks with its black shutters and white outlining finishes was exactly what me, my mother, my four siblings and my two nephews ordered.
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| source: Airbnb |
We found Agatha’s Historic Home on an Airbnb listing with an introduction that read “wonderful for business guests, families and groups alike.” When walking into the 1800's house, my eyes were immediately drawn to the polished hardwood floors, the soaring ceilings and rooms “reminiscent of the old south”, as the internet subtly described. My travel-haze and sometime fear of flying suddenly all seemed very worth it. We were to spend 4 days and 3 nights in what was a home named for the early family's live-in housekeeper, caregiver and cook for many, many years. On day one, I wanted nothing but to spend all my time in the single bedroom that I'd chosen, just off the kitchen. (Being the busy-minded millennial that I am, it wasn’t until the end of my stay that I realized that I had chosen what must’ve been the home's namesakes former room.)
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| source: Airbnb |
When opening the door, I saw a single bed in the middle of a medium sized room, a ½ bath, a strategically placed clothes hanging space complete with a laundry basket and hangers, and a window looking out to the bright green grass of the side yard behind thick curtains. The sink was on the outside of this perfect little cubby reserved for the toilet and shower amenities. I thought it was perfect for the traveling woman. As a single traveler, I didn’t want to end up staying in an unfamiliar room that was huge, so this was great. The room's inhabitant 60 years ago may not have had the same traveler’s routine while living there, but I'm sure she was just as happy in the immaculate little space. The shuffling of my five year old nephew's feet down the hallway added a comforting background noise to settling in. I turned on the room's heating and went to explore the rest of the house.
Each room seemed to be bigger than the last. With 5 bedrooms, 5 beds and 2.5 baths, Agatha's was welcoming and accommodating to 12 guests. The seven of us were rummaging around trying to choose which room we each wanted, checking out the kitchen and common spaces. One of my brothers ended up on one of the common room couches but there were no complaints. Nights were quiet and all you could seem to hear was the sound of serenity and the occasional yard crickets. Within each room you couldn’t hear any noise from the next, and the atmosphere brought on the wanting to use your inside voice. I drink a cup of tea every morning instead of coffee, so of course I brought it along with me in my suitcase to indulge my usual habit, although the kitchen was fully stocked with all the necessary morning essentials.
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| source: Airbnb |
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| source: Airbnb |
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| source: Airbnb |
I headed up the creaking, single-file designed stairs at one point to my mom's room and got the chance to see the upstairs architecture. There were two grand rooms, one after the next, and a shared bathroom ending the hall. The rooms gave me the feeling that once very important members of the family, and members of the Mobile community slept there. Everything was perfectly in place. As if I wouldn’t be able to find my family members while on this journey back in time. As the rooms were perfectly appointed, so was a dedicated plaque to the housekeeper whom had preserved the home's interior so many years ago. A plaque, in Agatha's honor, with a photo of the historic woman and her story written underneath hung over a peaceful living room's indoor fireplace near the glass panel front door and entryway.
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| source: Airbnb |
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| source: Airbnb |
As many homes in this area were, Agatha's Historic Home was built on the land of a former plantation. The rich history was all around in the atmosphere, on Mobile's beautiful Spring Hill Avenue near trendy Lyons Park. Where there were once nothing but lines of 1850's thriving summer homes, Agatha's still stands while tons of buzzing cars pass by. With 3 nights to go, I settled right in with my cups of hot tea, along with the rest of my family who were ready to have a big Thanksgiving dinner and Reunion on Thursday, lead by the theme “Link to Our Past… Bridge to Our Future.”
Exact location to Agatha's is provided after a booking is confirmed.
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