Before & After ~ Kirkwood Restored After Tornado Damage. Kirkwood in Eutaw, AL, was hit by a tornado in January 2023. Three other homes were destroyed completely, and many more were damaged. Fortunately, there were no fatalities.
Kirkwood was completed in 1860 and remained in the same family well into the 20th century. By the 1970s, it was in poor condition and was restored by Roy and Mary Swayze. They were awarded a National Trust Honor Award for the project in 1982. It was operated as a bed and breakfast for many years.
I took the before photo in March 2023, after the house had been secured and stabilized. Note the missing column on the left. A tall belvedere had been added onto the rooftop monitor in the 1970s and was removed by the tornado. It was not reconstructed. I took the after photo on my recent trip through the South.
All historic house owners fear natural disasters, fire, and other catastrophic events that can damage or destroy a home. Repairing or rebuilding a historic home is not the same as with a new house, and having the right insurance to return your house to its pre-event state is important.
If you don’t have insurance specifically for a historic house, it would be worthwhile to investigate what your insurance will and won’t pay for after a loss.
If your insurance will not repair/rebuild as it was, your statewide or local historic preservation organization may be able to help you find coverage in your state that will. Other local historic homeowners may also be a resource for finding appropriate coverage.
All aspects of home restoration are covered in “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.”
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available directly from the author in our online shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
© Scott T. Hanson 2025.
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