Everhope Plantation, circa 1852
8 Acres

Everhope, a magnificent three-story plantation home nestled in a scenic country setting, was constructed in the early 1850's by Capt. Nathan M. Carpenter, a prosperous planter and Confederate officer. It remained in the same family for 122 years. The design of this fine Greek Revival style house is attributed to David Rhinehart Anthony.

This home sits on 8 acres and is located 3.5 miles from I-20/59, in Greene County and just 35 minutes from Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama. Greene County is rich with architecture in the Greek Revival style from the antebellum era. The HABS documented Greene County Courthouse and Probate Office buildings date from 1856 and were the last municipal complex to be constructed in the Greek Revival style in the state.

Everhope is approximately 6 miles from historic Eutaw, a town featured in the book, The Most Beautiful Villages and Towns in the South, by Bonnie Ramsey. The surrounding area offers excellent hunting and fishing. Surrounded by lush landscaped grounds, this wonderful house has been lovingly preserved and restored and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are many pecan, peach, pear and fig trees as well as a formal flower garden. In addition, most of the property is fenced and cross-fenced and is ideal for horses.

This spacious home has approximately 6500 sq. ft. plus an additional 800 sq. ft. on the 3rd floor. There are several outbuildings on the property including one of the original servants' quarters, the old pecan house, tenant house, part of the old detached kitchen, equipment shed and large open bay garage with workshop. Also, a carbide gas generator which once supplied carbide gas to lighting fixtures in the house is still in place.

In the main house, there are 5 bedrooms and 3 full baths, 2 formal parlors, formal dining room, 8 fireplaces, wide center hallways, main staircase and a back staircase, wide front porch and upper balcony. An unusual feature of Everhope is the L-shaped winding stairway connecting the right rear first floor room to the rear upstairs room. Legend has it that the first floor room was Capt. Carpenter's plantation office with a servant's staircase leading to the nursery above. The original dining room located to the rear of the left front parlor features a series of two built-in china closets and a built-in pie safe, a very rare and unusual element.

Everhope retains many of its original architectural details such as high ceilings, plaster ceiling medallions and walls, heart pine flooring, grain painted moldings, 4 paneled doors, many grained to resemble birds-eye maple framed in yellow oak, and pine mantle pieces. All rooms contain heavy molding and wide baseboards.

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A rear wing was added to the original structure in the late 1990s. The 1 1/2 story addition was designed in such a way as not to alter the historic portion of the house and constructed so as not to be seen from the front. A wide cross-hall separates the old from the new. The addition incorporates a large gourmet kitchen (with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and 14 foot ceilings), breakfast room, large family room (with built-in bookcases, fireplace and heavy crown molding), mudroom laundry room, office with custom cabinetry, an additional full bath with walk-in closets, garage and screened-in porch.

In 2009, Everhope was featured in Jennifer Hale's book, Historic Plantations of Alabama's Black Belt. This amazing property lends itself beautifully to either a single-family residence or a B&B. Open for tours year round, the current owners have had visitors from all over the US, Europe, South America, and as far away as Australia and Japan. Everhope Plantation invites you to enjoy southern hospitality and experience the splendor of a bygone era.