Project Gallery

The President's House at The American Village Montevallo, Ala.

If you’ve visited historic homes and buildings across the country, chances are you’ve seen gorgeous Southern Pine in action. A favorite building material for centuries (because of its strength, durability and beauty), Southern Pine was used often in the building and decorating of homes that have stood the test of time. And at The American Village in Montevallo, Ala., Southern Pine is very well represented.

The American Village and Citizenship Trust was first chartered in 1995 as a public educational institution, and holds as its mission “… to strengthen and renew the foundations of American liberty and self-government through citizenship education.” Consisting of numerous historical replications of famous buildings, the American Village has educated school children, teachers, adults and families from around the world.

Enter Southern Living magazine!  In recognition of the magazine’s 40th anniversary in 2007, the folks at Southern Living partnered with The American Village to build The President’s House. Modeled after George Washington’s Presidential residence in Philadelphia, this project has similar architectural details coupled with an updated floor plan to give the house a modern touch.

“The President’s House was a great opportunity to partner with an organization doing great things in Alabama and build a home based on our American history and historical architecture, yet updated with new and modern materials,” said Derick Belden, executive editor of Southern Living.

Following the theme “inspired by our past but living for today,” the folks at Southern Living called upon SPAN – the Southern Pine Awareness Network for one of the most gorgeous building materials on the market today (and a material used in the original home): Southern heart pine flooring.

Walk into The President’s House and you’re immediately struck by the beautiful decorations, the magnificent architectural touches … and the floors. The floors have been left “clear,” meaning no paint or colored stain was applied to interfere with the gorgeous golden wood. The rich red heartwood lends a dramatic flair to the overall look and literally stops visitors in their tracks.

The day SPAN visited the house to take these pictures, one of the docents told us that almost every visitor to the home was taken aback by the sheer beauty of the Southern Pine flooring. After you look at these pictures, we think you’ll agree.

For more information: www.americanvillage.org