The Spanish Colonial Revival style Hartwell House was originally owned by Mobile, Alabama, mayor Harry T. Hartwell.
It was built as a full two-story residence in 1906. In 1942, a fire destroyed much of the second floor, and Mobile architect George B. Rogers was hired to remodel the damaged house. The resulting product bears the strong “Mediterranean” character typical of much of his work. This is particularly evident in the stucco walls scored to resemble blocks of stone, the broad arch of the porte cochere and the red clay tile roofing.
A feature of this house that shows adaption of the style to the regional, Gulf Coast, climate is the glazed monitor on the roof that encloses a sleeping porch for the family. Prior to the advent of mechanical air conditioning, having a monitor on top of a building was an effective way to exhaust hot air out the top while drawing relatively cooler air in through the windows below during the night. All the windows would be closed in the morning to retain the cooler night air as long as possible and then the process would be repeated after the sun set in the evening.
At the start of the 20th century, several romantic revival house styles were built across the U.S., including Spanish Colonial Revival.
Chapter 2 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners” explores 25 styles and types with character-defining features keyed to hundreds of color photos.
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available from the author in our online shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries select preservation and restoration titles by other authors. Save on cost and shipping with our multi-book combo packs!
© Scott T. Hanson 2025.
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