EAST CHOCCOLOCCO STREET REDEVELOPMENT
The City of Oxford is actively pursuing the revitalization of Historic Downtown Oxford, with proposed plans to construct the Alabama Children's Museum and attract a mixed-use commercial development. To begin this endeavor, demolition is slated to commence on East Choccolocco Street in spring 2024.
This process is being executed through a collaborative effort involving key stakeholders such as the Alabama Department of Economic & Community Affairs (ADECA), East Alabama Regional Planning & Development Commission (EARPDC), Alabama Historical Commission (AHC), and CDG Engineering, Inc.
Historic Main Street Oxford is committed to the preservation of downtown's history. During the exploration of preservation options for the structures, leadership discovered health and safety hazards associated with the buildings. Furthermore, the costs involved in addressing these hazards were deemed prohibitively high. As a result, the decision was made to proceed with the demolition of the structures. Detailed surveys and photographs of each structure have been conducted to adhere to historic preservation standards. We invite you to learn about the families that called East Choccolocco Street home. Further information regarding the project can be accessed below.
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Aerial view of East Choccolocco Street (left) and Snow Street (right) looking east. Photo courtesy of the City of Oxford.
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Huckeba House- 220 East Choccolocco Street
c. 1945
Huckeba House
The dwelling, believed to have been built around 1945. Initially constructed by John and Fannie Mae Lott, it subsequently passed through the ownership of the Huckeba, Vaughn, and Clark families.
Mack and Pearl Huckeba purchased the residence in October 1959 and lived there until the 1980s. He held the position of vice president and production manager at the R&J Machinery Company and served as a deacon at Calvary Baptist Church. Pearl Camp Huckeba, a native of Buchanan, Georgia, relocated to Oxford in 1933. She was actively involved in the Oxford Garden Club and was a member of Calvary Baptist Church.
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Spradlin House- 230 East Choccolocco Street
c. 1910
Spradlin House
The structure, dating back to around 1910, is a one-story clapboard rectangular frame dwelling with a notable history. Dr. Thomas J. Patton and Luveta Taylor Patton were early owners, acquiring the residence before 1920 and residing there until the 1940s. Dr. Patton, originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, relocated to Oxford in 1917 to establish his medical practice.
In 1943, Ozelle Bobo Sharpe became the next owner of the property, where she and her husband, John S. Sharpe, lived until his passing. John was the proprietor of Sharpe’s Garage and a devoted member of the Methodist Church. Following John's death, Ozelle remarried Henry S. Spradlin, a retiree from the Alabama Power Company, also active in the Methodist Church, Oxford Senior Center, and Oxford Kiwanis Club. Ozelle herself was retired from General Electric and the Calhoun County Board of Education, and an active member of the Methodist Church and the Quest Club.
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1960s Rancher House- 300 East Choccolocco Street
1963
1960s Rancher House
Constructed in 1963, this one-story rectangular dwelling boasts a mid-century Ranch style. Advertised as a place where one could "put on your dancing shoes" and enjoy amenities such as a delightful den and a "Space age built-in kitchen," the house exudes a sense of modernity and comfort.
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Bullard - Fulton House- 308 East Choccolocco Street
c. 1890
Bullard - Fulton House
The Bullard-Fulton House, thought to have been built c. 1890, has been the cherished residence of three prominent Oxford families over the years. Initially, it was home to Dr. Aurelius F. Bullard, a renowned physician and surgeon, and his wife Julia. Their residence became a hub of Oxford society life, with Mrs. Bullard hosting numerous piano recitals for neighbors and club members.
Charles C. Morgan and his wife, Ada, lived in the residence from 1907 until the late 1920s renting rooms to borders or relatives and students attending Oxford College.
Former Oxford council member and school board member Henry C. Fulton and his wife, August, resided in the house after the Morgans until the 1940s after which the house was sold.
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Griffin House- 314 East Choccolocco Street
c. 1920
Griffin House
Constructed around 1920, this one-story dwelling holds a significant historical presence despite limited documented information. Records suggest that James Griffin and Mary Snow Griffin rented and resided at the address during the 1920s and 1930s. James Griffin served as the assistant examiner of accounts for the State of Alabama, while Mary Snow Griffin was a homemaker. Mary's lineage connects to the early settlers of the Oxford area, including her grandfather Dudley Snow.
Subsequent residents included the Conkle and Ranson families, before the property transitioned into commercial use in the 1950s. It housed various medical practitioners such as Dr. H. L. Smith (dentist), L.H. Kwong (general medicine and pathology), and Dr. Richard Kabel (hearing), along with the Health Services Center.
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Lamar House- 320 East Choccoloco Street
c. 1940s
Lamar House
This one-story, rectangular structure was constructed in the 1940s-1950s. The home was originally built by the Lamar family and was used for residential purposes until 2019. Subsequent homeowners were the Eaton and Jones families.
Records indicate Robert Frank Lamar and his wife, Elizabeth Holston Lamar, purchased the lot in March 1940. Lamar was employed as a mining superintendent with Harbison Walker Refractories Corporation of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for more than 20 years after being in the grocery business in Oxford. Lamar served as a member of the Oxford City Council, the Calhoun County Board of Education, First Baptist Church of Oxford, and Hartwell Lodge No. 101. He was also heavily involved in Oxford High School’s athletic programs, especially basketball and football. The school’s football stadium is named in his honor.
Mrs. Lamar worked at Oxford Elementary School for 33 years and served as a principal and president of the Calhoun County Education Association.
After the deaths of the Lamar's, their daughter, Martha Lamar Eaton inherited the home. She subsequently lived their until her death.
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Henderson House- 219 Snow Street
c. 1875
Henderson House
Believed to have been constructed around 1875-1880 as servant's quarters for the nearby residence of John B. McCain, this house has a rich history intertwined with notable figures of Oxford. McCain, a druggist by profession, also served as the city's mayor.
In the early 1900s, Oxford Postmaster James M. Ragan and his family relocated to this residence.
In 1922, Jefferson C. Henderson and Minnie Parnell Henderson became the owners of the house. Jefferson, who served as a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, was actively involved in First Baptist Church and was a member of the Hartwell Lodge No. 101. Throughout his life, Jefferson married two other times, to Vera Thrasher Henderson and Hannah Henderson, while residing in the house until his death in 1967.
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Kirby House- 229 Snow Street
c. 1930s
Kirby House
This dwelling was constructed in the 1930s, initially serving as the residence of Grady and Lois Patman.
Charles and Ola Kirby purchased the house in May 1947 and remained there until the 1980s. Charles Kirby was a native of Fayetteville, Tennessee and moved to Oxford in 1935. He was a graduate of the Cumberland Law University in Lebanon, Tennessee, and retired from the Alabama State Milk Control Board. Mr. Kirby was a veteran of World War II, member of the Masonic Lodge, American Legion, and First United Methodist Church of Oxford. Ola Kendrick Kirby retired from Oxford City Schools and was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Regional Medical Auxiliary, Quest Club, Europa Club, and First United Methodist Church of Oxford.