Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Prepared by:
Carter J. Castor, MSHP
Prepared for:
CCI Group
PO Box 9014
Huntsville, Alabama 35812
256.882.7585
&
Department of the Army
GarrisonRedstone Arsenal
Environmental Management Division
(IMSE-RED-PWE)
4488 Martin Road, Room A-332-West
Redstone Arsenal, Alabama 35898-5000
256.876.0211; Fax 256.313-2201
September 2015
Table of Contents
Foreword and Acknowledgements................................................................................................................. i
Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................................... iii
List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................... v
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................ v
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 1
Background and Literature Search................................................................................................................ 2
Historic Summary of the Goddard House ..................................................................................................... 3
Manning Family: 18181845 ................................................................................................................ 3
Matthews Family: 18451892 .............................................................................................................. 5
Davis Family: 18921924 ................................................................................................................... 10
Chaney Family: 19241942 ................................................................................................................ 14
U.S. Army Ownership............................................................................................................................. 15
Current Condition ....................................................................................................................................... 19
National Register of Historic Places Eligibility .......................................................................................... 24
References ................................................................................................................................................... 25
Appendix A: Architectural Drawings ......................................................................................................... 27
iii
List of Figures
Figure 1. Present location of Building 7134 on Redstone Arsenal ............................................................... 1
Figure 2. Portrait of Luke Matthews (1796-1875) (Stubno, Jr. 2005). ......................................................... 5
Figure 3. Portrait of Lucy Ann Spottswood Matthews (18161874) (Stubno, Jr. 2005). ............................. 6
Figure 4. Historic archaeological sites in the vicinity of Oakendale Plantation symbolized by temporal
affiliation. .................................................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 5. The Goddard House 1955 at original site, primary faade. ......................................................... 15
Figure 6. Goddard House 1955 at original site, rear face. .......................................................................... 16
Figure 7. Goddard House 1955 crossing Huntsville Spring Branch during move, rear face. ..................... 17
Figure 8. Goddard House 1956 with a rocket. ............................................................................................ 17
Figure 9. Goddard House 1998. .................................................................................................................. 18
Figure 10. Goddard House, rear elevation, 2015. ....................................................................................... 18
Figure 11. View from the SW room on the second floor indicating visible structure. ............................... 19
Figure 12. Original location of fireplace in first floor SE room. ................................................................ 20
Figure 13. Original location of rear door on E wall of 2nd floor NE room. ............................................... 20
Figure 14. View of the NE showing historic and modern studs. ................................................................ 21
Figure 15. Lathe marks at right angles on these ceiling joists. ................................................................... 21
Figure 16. Ridge beam of house with steel cable........................................................................................ 22
Figure 17. Original stairway. ...................................................................................................................... 22
Figure 18. Primary entrance with non-original sidelights. .......................................................................... 23
List of Tables
Table 1. 1850 U.S. Census of Slave Inhabitants for Luke Matthews. .......................................................... 7
Table 2. 1860 U.S. Census of Slave Inhabitants for Luke Matthews. .......................................................... 9
Table 3. Historic archaeological sites in the vicinity of Oakendale Plantation........................................... 11
Introduction
Building 7134 on Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, known as the Goddard House, was a two-story plantation
house built c. 1835 by James Manning. It was originally part of the Oakendale Plantation, which was a very
large plantation for the area. It was continuously occupied until the land was purchased by the Army in
1942 for Redstone Arsenal. In 1955, the Army relocated the house to its present location to serve as guest
quarters for VIP visitors to the Arsenal.
After the relocation, only one of the four original chimneys was rebuilt. The original weatherboard was also
covered in stucco and later in yellow brick. The original one story porch was replaced with a two-story
Neoclassical porch, and the fenestration was altered. Later, the large rooms of the house were partitioned
to create rooms for bachelor housing. The house is currently unoccupied, and the interior has been stripped
down to the framing. The Goddard House Alabama State Historic Preservation Office number is 08900151. The survey was conducted under Alabama Historical Commission permit number 15-0643.
As part of a survey of the house, Alexander Archaeological Consultants (AAC) conducted a background
and literature survey of the previous determinations of eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places
(NRHP), provided a historical summary of the house, conducted a current conditions assessment, and
provided floorplans and elevations to provide a basis for future planning for the house.
Black
Black
Mulatto
Black
Black
Black
Black
Mulatto
10
Black
Black
11
Black
Black
12
Black
Black
Black
3
Black
Black
Black
13
10
Black
14
Mulatto
15
Black
16
Black
Mulatto
17
Black
11
Black
Black
12
12
13
Black
18
14
Black
20
15
Black
23
Black
Black
25
Black
Black
27
Black
Black
28
Black
Black
30
Black
17
18
20
21
22
Black
Black
Black
35
Black
23
Black
38
Black
24
Black
40
Black
Black
45
Black
25
27
Black
48
Black
28
Black
65
Black
29
Black
Black
40
Black
45
Black
30
Total:
37
26
Total:
32
25
11
Color
Black
Black
Mulatto
Mulatto
Black
Mulatto
10
Black
Black
12
Black
Black
12
Mulatto
13
Black
Black
14
Black
Mulatto
16
Black
18
Black
Mulatto
20
Black
28
Black
21
Mulatto
Mulatto
30
Black
Black
32
Mulatto
35
Black
40
10
12
14
18
14
15
1
3
19
20
1
2
25
30
15
30
40
40
45
1
7
60
Black
45
60
Mulatto
55
1
1
66
61
Mulatto
Black
Black
Black
Black
Mulatto
Black
Mulatto
Black
Black
Black
60
Total:
Black
75
Total:
19
Black
11
Luke Matthews, aged 73, had continued farming while his wife Lucy, aged 54, kept house. Their children
still living in their household were James age 22, Lucian age 21, Betty age 19, William age 18, Lucy age
15, and Susie age 12. Missing from this inventory of children is Lucy Malone who was 8 years old in 1860,
the likely fraternal twin of William. She either passed away or married and moved away in the time between
the two enumerations.
With Lukes total worth at $65,000 and his yearly income of $12,000, he was able to employ the assistance
of numerous people of color. Ada Jones age 23 was a household cook while she raised her four children on
the Oakendale Plantation. They included Maria age 7, Egbert age 4, Clarence age 2, and Simona age one
month. Also employed were Silva Catridge age 40, George Miller, a minister, age 45, with his wife Maria
age 48, also employed as a cook for the Matthews, with their children Matilda age 20 (a cook), George age
18 (a farm laborer), and Anna age 15. The last name on the Matthews household list of colored occupants
is James Mathews, a 40 year old farm laborer (United States Census Bureau 1870).
10
1MA779
1MA780
Late 19th to
20th century
Late 19th to
20th century
Late 19th to
20th century
Late 19th to
20th century
Late 19th to
20th century
Late 19th to
20th century
early
early
early
early
early
early
1MA785
1MA788
1MA789
1MA792
1MA793
1MA794
1MA809
1MA1526
1MA1528
1MA1560
1MA1563
1MA1564
1MA1565
1MA1566
1MA1567
1MA1568
11
Figure 4. Historic archaeological sites in the vicinity of Oakendale Plantation symbolized by temporal
affiliation.
12
13
14
15
Figure 7. Goddard House 1955 crossing Huntsville Spring Branch during move, rear face.
17
18
Current Condition
The house was stripped to the studs, plumbing fixtures, electrical work, and most other interior finishes,
leaving the interior structure visible (Figure 11). The original fireplace locations are readily apparent from
the contemporary 5 wide boards used to fill in the gaps in the original weatherboard left by the removal of
the historic chimneys (Figure 12). Original fireplace locations are depicted on the floorplans. The original
location of the rear second floor door shown in Figure 7 is likewise apparent from the presence of similar
boards (Figure 13).
Figure 14 illustrates two walls that contain both original and modern framing. Original framing lumber is
easily distinguished from modern lumber by its larger size and dark color with lighter colored strips running
horizontal across the beams. These stripes were caused by the wooden lathe that was originally attached to
the beams to support plaster walls but has since been removed. Mortise and tenon joints were used to join
the original framing. Mortises are still present that indicate beams which have since been removed. Lathe
marks also show the configuration of lathes for the former plaster walls and ceilings (Figure 15).
Lightning rods and a grounding cable were installed by the Army at some point (Figure 16).The original
staircase is present in the house (Figure 17). The original entrance has been widened, and a new entry way
with sidelights added (Figure 18).
Figure 11. View from the SW room on the second floor indicating visible structure.
19
Figure 13. Original location of rear door on E wall of 2nd floor NE room.
20
21
22
23
24
References
Alexander, Lawrence S., H. Russell Campbell, Daniel J. Minnich, and James M. Moore
1998 Phase I Archaeological Survey of Ground Disturbance Areas 4, 5, and 7 on Redstone Arsenal,
Madison County, Alabama. Submitted to Directorate of Environmental Management and Planning,
Redstone Arsenal, by Alexander Archaeological Consultants, Wildwood, Georgia.
Alexander, Lawrence S., Daniel J. Minnich, H. Russell Campbell, and William D. Stevens
1999 Phase I Archaeological Survey of 1052 Hectares on Redstone Arsenal, Madison County, Alabama.
Submitted to Directorate of Environmental Management and Planning, Redstone Arsenal, by Alexander
Archaeological Consultants, Wildwood, Georgia.
Alexander, Lawrence S., and Charles P. Redwine
2008a The 2005-2007 Phase I Archaeological Survey on Redstone Arsenal, Madison County, Alabama.
Submitted to Environmental Management Division, Redstone Arsenal, by Alexander Archaeological
Consultants, Inc., Wildwood, Georgia.
2008b The 2007-2008 Phase I Archaeological Survey on Redstone Arsenal, Madison County, Alabama.
Submitted to Environmental Management Division, Redstone Arsenal, by Alexander Archaeological
Consultants, Inc., Wildwood, Georgia.
Alexander, Lawrence S., and Charles P. Redwine, and Jaime Trotter
2009 Phase II Archaeological Testing of Sites 1MA748 and 1MA1560 on Redstone Arsenal, Madison
County, Alabama, DRAFT. Submitted to Environmental Management Division, Redstone Arsenal by
Alexander Archaeological Consultants, Inc., Wildwood, Georgia.
Allen, L. B.
2005 Luke Matthews in Madison County. Historic Huntsville Quarterly of Local Architecture and
Preservation. 31(12).
Coco, J. J., L. S. Alexander, and R. T. Bauer
2005 Ethnoarchaeological Investigations of Historic Sites in the Elko and Union Hill Communities on
Redstone. Alexander Archaeological Consultants, Chattanooga, Tennessee. Prepared for U.S. Army
Aviation and Missile Command, Directorate of Environmental Management and Planning, Redstone
Arsenal, Alabama.
Henry, K.
2004 Goddard House has long colorful history. Redstone Rocket 20 October Huntsville, Alabama.
Hughes, K.
2015 The Goddard House. Electronic Document, http://history.redstone.army.mil/ihist-goddardhouse.html , accessed July 15, 2015.
Jones, Kathleen P., and Pauline J. Gandrud
1980 Alabama Records, Vol. 15. Southern Historical Press, Greenville, South Carolina.
Kenny, Thomas
n.d. A Genealogical Report Concerning Slaves, Former Slaves, Tenant Farmers and Sharecroppers of
25
26
27