Strother-Gibbs Home

Tucked along a short gravel drive shaded by stately pecan trees, the Strother-Gibbs Home in Canton Bend has been lovingly maintained by the Strother family since its construction around 1894. Built by George H. Strother under the supervision of Sumter County contractor Mr. Coleman, materials for the home were shipped upriver from Mobile by steamboat, reflecting the importance of river transportation to life in Alabama’s Black Belt during the late nineteenth century.

For many Wilcox Countians, the home’s park-like setting evokes memories of sheep grazing in nearby pastures, elegant weddings beneath the trees, and family stories worthy of Southern fiction. Following the death of the original owner, the home passed to his son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Strother, Sr. Around 1950, Jack’s wife, Sara Moore Strother, working alongside her cousin Joe Moore, a Montgomery architect, undertook a significant renovation that transformed the house into the gracious classical residence seen today. The original sweeping porch that once surrounded the structure was redesigned, and distinctive columns crafted in Philadelphia were shipped to Canton Bend for the project.

The home’s interior retains much of its historic charm and elegance, including a handsome side entrance hall, a transom opening into the front parlor, and an impressive collection of art, antiques, family photographs, and memorabilia collected across generations. Today, the home continues to serve as a treasured family residence for descendants of its original builders, preserving both the architectural legacy and family history of Canton Bend.