History of the House

In 1890, Mr. J.D. Snodgrass built the house for his second wife, Miss Hattie Mae Brown. The house was built to be close enough to walk to town and far enough out to have a barn, cows, chickens, garden and a orchard. The house was built in Victorian Style, with lattice work trim and shutters on each window. There were six porches, one across the front and on each side toward the back The porches were upstairs and down. There are several Pictures in the dinning rooms of family members and of the house over the years. The house had ten rooms with two large hallways. The first floor plan was identical upstairs and down. There were three chimneys in the house which provided a fireplace in every room. Mr. Snodgrass was born in Bellefonte, Alabama on March 17, 1859. He came to Scottsboro in 1877 at the age of eighteen and began clerking in a store Shortly afterwards he entered into his own mercantile business. He also owned several large farms in the Bellefonte area. Soon he became active in political affairs. Mr. Snodgrass was first elected Mayor in Scottsboro in 1890. With the exception of four years, he served the people in this capacity until his death. He was a mayor for a period of forty two years. Mayor Snodgrass died on March 7, 1936 at the age of seventy six. Mrs. Snodgress lived for two more years. She continued to live in the house until her death Her son Prentiss, who had never married lived with her. At the death of Mrs. Snodgrass, the house became the property of Mr. Snodgrass’s estale. The youngest daughter, Mary who had married William McCutchen moved back to the home place with her family. Prentiss Snodgrass continued to Iive there also. At this time Mr. Prentiss Snodgrass remodeled the house. He changed the look from Victorian to southern Colonial. He removed the upstairs porch across the front and replaced it with a small square one. Square columns reaching to the ceiling of the second story replaced the round posts on the front with a small square one. Most of the lattice work trim and shutters were removed. Inside he removed walls and added hallways to make the house more spacious and livable, Prentiss Snodgrass died in 1967. Mary McCutchen became the owner of the house. She continued to live in the house alone until her health failed in 1975. She then moved to her son’s home. No one lived in the house until 1977. At that time the house was renovated for a restaurant. A large room was added to the back for a kitchen. If Walls could Talk “The McCutchen House” would tell of many memories It would tell of joys, sadness, births, deaths, marriages, and many many family gatherings over the years. We at the Magnolia House Hope you are very satisfied with the atmosphere, service and of course the food.