Historical Significance
Built in the 1850s by newspaperman Patrick Henry Brittan, this handsome house is the city’s finest remaining brick cottage from the mid 19th century. Brittan edited state and local papers including the Montgomery Advertiser and the Daily Messenger. In 1859 the state legislature elected him secretary of state, a post he occupied through the Civil War.
Until 1957, the house was a residence and afterward it was an antique and furniture repair shop of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Dennis. Landmark Foundation acquired the property in 1994 and restored the structure.
Architectural Significance
Built as fashion changed from Greek Revival to Italianate, the house includes characteristics of both with a colonnaded porch and bracket cornice. The front door, outlined by stylish pilasters with inset panel Doric columns and a bracketed entablature, has sidelights and a transom of etched ruby glass. The interior consists of a central hall widening in the rear, with the typical two rooms on each side.
