The Halliday Cary Pick House is the national headquarters for the Cary Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies. The house and many of its contents were gifted to the College of Human Sciences in 2011 by Mrs. Frances Pick Dillard and her family during the 9th Annual Women's Philanthropy Board Spring Symposium and Luncheon. The Halliday Cary Pick House is located at 360 North College Street.
History of the Halliday Cary Pick House
Built in 1840's, the Halliday Cary Pick House is one of the oldest remaining homes in the City of Auburn and is located at 360 North College Street. The Greek Revival style raised cottage was erected on a tract land bought from a member of the Creek Nation in 1839 and is constructed of handmade brick and hand-hewn virgin heart pine. Four square columns highlight the front of the house.
Matthew Turner, a prosperous landowner, commissioned James W. Kidd, a builder, to construct the house as a wedding present for his son and bride. The newlyweds decided that they wanted to live in Talladega, and Turner sold the house to an owner who lived there only two years until it was sold to Dickinson Halliday, a planter from Georgia. Halliday lived there with his family for forty-three years.
Dr. Charles Allen Cary, founding Dean of Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine, purchased the house in 1897. Members of the Cary family lived in the house until 2006 when Dr. Cary's daughter, Alice Cary Pick Gibson, died at age 101.
History of the Halliday Cary Pick House
Built in 1840's, the Halliday Cary Pick House is one of the oldest remaining homes in the City of Auburn and is located at 360 North College Street. The Greek Revival style raised cottage was erected on a tract of land bought from a member of the Creek Nation in 1839 and is constructed of handmade brick and hand-hewn virgin heart pine. Four square columns highlight the front of the house.
Matthew Turner, a prosperous landowner, commissioned James W. Kidd, a builder, to construct the house as a wedding present for his son and bride. The newlyweds decided that they wanted to live in Talladega, and Turner sold the house to an owner who lived there only two years until it was sold to Dickinson Halliday, a planter from Georgia. Halliday lived there with his family for forty-three years.
Dr. Charles Allen Cary, founding Dean of Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine, purchased the house in 1897. Members of the Cary family lived in the house until 2006 when Dr. Cary's daughter, Alice Cary Pick Gibson, died at age 101.
History of the Halliday Cary Pick House
Built in 1840's, the Halliday Cary Pick House is one of the oldest remaining homes in the City of Auburn and is located at 360 North College Street. The Greek Revival style raised cottage was erected on a tract of land bought from a member of the Creek Nation in 1839 and is constructed of handmade brick and hand-hewn virgin heart pine. Four square columns highlight the front of the house.
Matthew Turner, a prosperous landowner, commissioned James W. Kidd, a builder, to construct the house as a wedding present for his son and bride. The newlyweds decided that they wanted to live in Talladega, and Turner sold the house to an owner who lived there only two years until it was sold to Dickinson Halliday, a planter from Georgia. Halliday lived there with his family for forty-three years.
Dr. Charles Allen Cary, founding Dean of Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine, purchased the house in 1897. Members of the Cary family lived in the house until 2006 when Dr. Cary's daughter, Alice Cary Pick Gibson, died at age 101.
The design of the house is symmetrical. Beginning with two parlors in the front, each room is balanced against a similar room on the opposite side. The dramatic features of the house are: the wide doorways; the open fireplace in every room with the original mantels; and the centrally located, hanging spiral staircase. It was built when the house was under construction by an itinerant French carpenter who was on his way to New Orleans. Constructed by hand of mahogany, the staircase has no visible means of support, no center post, and does not rest on any wall.
The design of the house is symmetrical. Beginning with two parlors in the front, each room is balanced against a similar room on the opposite side. The dramatic features of the house are: the wide doorways; the open fireplace in every room with the original mantels; and the centrally located, hanging spiral staircase. It was built when the house was under construction by an itinerant French carpenter who was on his way to New Orleans. Constructed by hand of mahogany, the staircase has no visible means of support, no center post, and does not rest on any wall.
The design of the house is symmetrical. Beginning with two parlors in the front, each room is balanced against a similar room on the opposite side. The dramatic features of the house are: the wide doorways; the open fireplace in every room with the original mantels; and the centrally located, hanging spiral staircase. It was built when the house was under construction by an itinerant French carpenter who was on his way to New Orleans. Constructed by hand of mahogany, the staircase has no visible means of support, no center post, and does not rest on any wall.
Lt. General and Mrs. Lewis Andrew Pick (nee Alice Cary) returned in Auburn in the early 1950's and renovated the house without disturbing the historic integrity of the structure. Plaster was removed from all the walls revealing hand hewn wood studs. New electrical wiring, plumbing, and heat/air-conditioning were added before the walls were plastered again. Two layers of narrow wood flooring were removed to reveal the original, wide, pure board floors. Bathrooms were added in the restoration process with the space for them taken from the large bedrooms. The footprint of the house has not changed from that of the original structure. The necessary renovations were made to leave intact the original atmosphere of the house.
In addition to being a house for the aforementioned families, the house was used as a hospital by Confederate troops during the Civil War. Later, the attic was converted to a dormitory for Dr. Cary's veterinary medicine students.
Because of its structural integrity, the Halliday Cary Pick House was selected by the Advisory Committee of the Historic American Building Survey as possessing exceptional historic or architectural interest and being worthy of most careful preservation for the benefit of the future generations. This record and condition has been deposited for permanent reference in the Library of Congress.
Lt. General and Mrs. Lewis Andrew Pick (nee Alice Cary) returned in Auburn in the early 1950's and renovated the house without disturbing the historic integrity of the structure. Plaster was removed from all the walls revealing hand hewn wood studs. New electrical wiring, plumbing, and heat/air-conditioning were added before the walls were plastered again. Two layers of narrow wood flooring were removed to reveal the original, wide, pure board floors. Bathrooms were added in the restoration process with the space for them taken from the large bedrooms. The footprint of the house has not changed from that of the original structure. The necessary renovations were made to leave intact the original atmosphere of the house.
In addition to being a house for the aforementioned families, the house was used as a hospital by Confederate troops during the Civil War. Later, the attic was converted to a dormitory for Dr. Cary's veterinary medicine students.
Because of its structural integrity, the Halliday Cary Pick House was selected by the Advisory Committee of the Historic American Building Survey as possessing exceptional historic or architectural interest and being worthy of most careful preservation for the benefit of the future generations. This record and condition has been deposited for permanent reference in the Library of Congress.
Lt. General and Mrs. Lewis Andrew Pick (nee Alice Cary) returned in Auburn in the early 1950's and renovated the house without disturbing the historic integrity of the structure. Plaster was removed from all the walls revealing hand hewn wood studs. New electrical wiring, plumbing, and heat/air-conditioning were added before the walls were plastered again. Two layers of narrow wood flooring were removed to reveal the original, wide, pure board floors. Bathrooms were added in the restoration process with the space for them taken from the large bedrooms. The footprint of the house has not changed from that of the original structure. The necessary renovations were made to leave intact the original atmosphere of the house.
In addition to being a house for the aforementioned families, the house was used as a hospital by Confederate troops during the Civil War. Later, the attic was converted to a dormitory for Dr. Cary's veterinary medicine students.
Because of its structural integrity, the Halliday Cary Pick House was selected by the Advisory Committee of the Historic American Building Survey as possessing exceptional historic or architectural interest and being worthy of most careful preservation for the benefit of the future generations. This record and condition has been deposited for permanent reference in the Library of Congress.
Oral History of Halliday Cary Pick House
Watch as Mrs. Frances Pick Dillard discuss the rich history of the Halliday Cary Pick House and how she and her family came to decision to gift it to the College of Human Sciences.
Oral History of Halliday Cary Pick House
Watch as Mrs. Frances Pick Dillard discuss the rich history of the Halliday Cary Pick House and how she and her family came to decision to gift it to the College of Human Sciences.
Oral History of Halliday Cary Pick House
Watch as Mrs. Frances Pick Dillard discusses the rich history of the Halliday Cary Pick House and how she and her family came to the decision to gift it to the College of Human Sciences.
The Halliday Cary Pick House is available for events, social gatherings, weddings, and other purposes. There are a variety of packages to suit your needs. Please contact the Cary Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies via email at carycenter@auburn.edu or The Hotel at Auburn University at 334-821-8200 or online here.
The Halliday Cary Pick House is available for events, social gatherings, weddings, and other purposes. There are a variety of packages to suit your needs. Please contact the Cary Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies via email at carycenter@auburn.edu or The Hotel at Auburn University at 334-821-8200 or online here.
Art of Philanthropy
The Cary Center is proud to showcase art from Gallery One Fine Art, Inc. in Montgomery, Alabama in the Art of Philanthropy initiative. This program features a multitude of paintings on loan and display in the Halliday Cary Pick House. All of the artwork is available for viewing by appointment and many pieces are for purchase.
The design of the house is symmetrical. Beginning with two parlors in the front, each room is balanced against a similar room on the opposite side. The dramatic features of the house are: the wide doorways; the open fireplace in every room with the original mantels; and the centrally located, hanging spiral staircase. It was built when the house was under construction by an itinerant French carpenter who was on his way to New Orleans. Constructed by hand of mahogany, the staircase has no visible means of support, no center post, and does not rest on any wall.
