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Tallassee history unveiled

By Michael Butler

Jeanne (Youngblood) Dozier remembers walking from band practice at Tallassee High School to her home at 310 Jordan Avenue in the early ‘60s.

The prominent home built by the Jordan family in the 1800s, was the home where Jeanne grew up.  Her family purchased the property from the Bryant family in 1945.
 
“The story from my mother was that Ms. Bryant would eat with them, stating, ‘It’s my house!,’” Jeanne said. “Ms. Bryant used to let rooms.  We found letters in the attic, one with a murder plot.  We tried to see if anything was ever carried out but never found out.”
 
Jeanne’s father, W. H. Youngblood, now deceased, owned a shoe shop in Tallassee.  Jeanne's mother, Dovie Mae (Collie) Youngblood, remained in the Jordanville house until last December.  She now resides in Columbiana.
 
The family began deconstructing the home in April.  Once the façade was removed, the findings were quite interesting.
 
An 19th century log cabin with a dog trot was uncovered.   “It was evidently a showplace in the late 1800s,” Jeanne said.
 
Tallassee historian Bill Goss researched the property and found through probate records that the home was built in 1880. The Dobbs house at 405 Jordan Avenue was also erected that year. There are 11 homes in Jordanville that are over 100 years old.
 
Jeanne recalls uncanny disturbances during her childhood.  “The house is truly haunted. My dad would say there are skeletons in the attic.  There were noises that were not normal.  I never saw anything, but there was definitely something.”
 

Individual timbers labeled for reassembly
On one occasion, Mr. Youngblood was startled by those noises.  “My daddy came in with a shotgun shaking like a leaf,” Jeanne said. “I don’t know who was more frightened, him or me.”
 
Even with the eerie past, Jeanne looks back on the childhood home with fond memories.
 
“It’s been very traumatic to see the house coming down.  It was an interesting and fun place to live,” Jeanne added. “We’ve got things that we’ve turned into other objects to keep the house living. Mother is happy to know that the house will live on in other people’s homes.”

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