Huntsville moves forward with National Historic Register nominations for Magnolia Terrace, Brothers Heights
Published on October 9, 2025
The City approved an agreement with Dr. Caroline Swope, principal of Kingstree Studios, to prepare National Register of Historic Places nominations for the Magnolia Terrace and Brothers Heights/Gurley Additions neighborhoods.
The $35,000 project is funded through a Certified Local Government (CLG) grant from the Alabama Historical Commission, which will provide 60% of the cost, with the City covering the remaining 40%.
Dr. Swope, who conducted a 2021 survey of the area, identified unique historic contexts for the adjacent but distinct neighborhoods of Magnolia Terrace and Brothers Heights/Gurley Additions, located north of Holmes Avenue and west of Pulaski Pike. Although the neighborhoods border, they differ in terms of their dates of establishment, architecture and community identity.
The City’s approval clears the way for the formal listing process, which will build on Huntsville’s recent progress in preserving sites significant to its Black community, including Normal Historic District, Edmonton Heights and Glenwood Cemetery.
With more than 250 combined properties across the neighborhoods, the National Register listings will ensure Magnolia Terrace and Brothers Heights/Gurley Additions are recognized for their cultural contributions and preserved as important chapters in Huntsville’s history.
(Pictured above: The Wells-Drake House, the oldest structure in this area, is at the southern boundary of the Gurley additions, 2400 Stanley Drive. The Wells-Drake house is a large, two-story dwelling originally built by William Wells, an out-of-state investor, who helped develop Huntsville’s textile industry and was part of the effort to establish the 1892 East Huntsville Addition, which created Five Points Historic District. Wells Avenue is named after him. Dr. Harold Fanning Drake, the first Black doctor with admitting privileges at Huntsville Hospital, later owned it. He and Nurse Jean Dent opened the Triana community’s first medical clinic. Because the Madison County medical society wouldn’t admit black physicians, the white doctors at Huntsville Hospital agreed to let Dr. Drake have a special arrangement where he could admit black patients to what was called the Colored Wing.)
READ MORE: Public meeting to address Magnolia Terrace historic resource survey
READ MORE: Historic Huntsville neighborhood Magnolia Terrace to be surveyed
