Civil War Historian's Home And Belongings For Sale This Weekend

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Mar 4th 2011 at 8:01PM

The home and personal belongings of Civil War writer Shelby Foote are part of a sale going on in this weekend in Memphis, Tennessee. Foote, who died back in 2005 was a novelist and historian of the Civil War. He came to national attention after appearing in Ken Burns's PBS documentary The Civil War in 1990.

Foote was a collector of Civil War-era guns and swords as well as other items dating back from that era. The home itself is an English cottage style home built in 1927. The Memphis Commercial Appeal reports that the sale includes an estimated $200,000 worth of the personal effects of Foote. Estate broker Ken Robison told the Commercial Appeal that the sale features items from other estates as well and that he expects around 3,000 people to show up at the Foote home over the weekend for the sale.

The house was appraised at $427,600 in 2010 and is being re-appraised this week to set a listing price for the sale. The home includes a small octagonally shaped "secret room" above an upstairs bedroom and accessible through a trap door in the ceiling above the bedroom closet. Check out the Robison-Finch estate sale website for more details.

Tags: civil war, Civil War History, shelby foote

Filed under: Estates

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patent.application2011 Mar 5th 2011 3:52AM

Late Civil War writer Shelby Foote's two-story, 11-room house — secret room and all — is the highlight of an estate sale in Memphis this weekend.

The 1927 house and about $200,000 in personal belongings are part of the sale beginning Saturday. A $25,000 Persian rug and books from his library are included.

The Commercial Appeal reports that the house was appraised at $427,600 last year and is being reappraised for the sale. It has a small secret room above an upstairs bedroom, accessible through a trap door in the ceiling.

Author of "The Civil War: A Narrative," Foote contributed to documentary filmmaker Ken Burns' "Civil War" series.

A separate sale of much of Foote's personal writings and notes is expected to be announced Friday.

patent.application2011 Mar 5th 2011 3:57AM

Here is a similar story

Late Civil War writer Shelby Foote's two-story, 11-room house — secret room and all — is the highlight of an estate sale in Memphis this weekend.

The 1927 house and about $200,000 in personal belongings are part of the sale beginning Saturday. A $25,000 Persian rug and books from his library are included.

The Commercial Appeal reports that the house was appraised at $427,600 last year and is being reappraised for the sale. It has a small secret room above an upstairs bedroom, accessible through a trap door in the ceiling.

Author of "The Civil War: A Narrative," Foote contributed to documentary filmmaker Ken Burns' "Civil War" series.

A separate sale of much of Foote's personal writings and notes is expected to be announced Friday.

Spectacular Bid Mar 7th 2011 11:14AM

It's an interesting bit of architecture and the connection with it being the late Shelby Foote's home makes it that much more. Using the listing site below, if you view the property (0.8 acres) with the birdseye view option its wedged on a sliver of land between others.

This isn't a sprawling mansion despite the courtyard hinting at it and the interior is more then a bit rustic. However that is part of the charm. Walking on to the property with low expectations and finding this hidden jewel that needs some polishing. See the listing below:

http://www.memphispropertyfinder.com/homes/12905074/TN/Memphis/542-E-Parkway-Avenue-S-38104/

By the way much of Foote's historical collection (books, manuscripts, personal papers, maps) was acquired during the auction by Rhodes College in Memphis and will go on display later.