ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Last week I received a call from my longtime friend, Louise Boykin. Louise called to inform me that her late great-grandparent’s house that was built in 1894 had been turned into a bed and breakfast. Since the old home place, located on Patterson Road near Wilcox Exit, is next door to Louise’s sister’s home she had the opportunity to tour the newly remodeled house that she visited when she was small. I immediately knew, I too, wanted to see this place where Andrew and Matilda Cobb lived many years ago. I had tried to picture in my mind the homes of some of the early settlers of that area when I first read the Daily Journals of Dana Wilcox and later composed stories of what life was like for the early pioneer residents.

Andrew and Matilda Cobb were the parents of two daughters. Their daughter, Bessie married Early Patterson and they had seven sons and a daughter. Bessie and Early were Louise’s grandparents. The Cobb’s daughter, Mary, first married a Steele and later a Cranford. Mary lived in her late parent’s home until she passed away, but it was later sold to a real estate company. Over the years several changes were made to the dwelling. The porches had been closed in; unattractive colored carpet covered the sub-floor and sheetrock was installed and painted with an oil base paint. The original walls first ceiled with tongue and grove boards could not be seen.

This was the way the house appeared when Lynn and John Bainbridge came to Baldwin County from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., for a weekend in search of property to build a home on. They found a place in Loxley and were about to sign a contract when the realtor took them out to Patterson Road. The Bainbridge’s thought the quaint old house had character and potential. They liked it even though they noticed that the rooms had no molding or baseboards, and the house needed a lot of renovating. The couple decided to follow their dreams and purchase the 106 year old house. Their sister-in-law took one look at the place and advised them to tear it down. Not knowing that the house first belonged to a family by the name of Cobb they named it Patterson House because it faces Patterson Road. In a way that is acceptable because Bessie Cobb Patterson was born there and grew up in this house. Several of Bessie and Early Patterson’s descendants still reside in the area.

However, after many long hours of hard work and perseverance the house took on the look of antiquity that Lynn and John desired. Lynn wanted to leave the original look of the living room walls and some of the outer walls that had been exposed to the elements of time, yet she wanted the kitchen to have modern granite counter tops and other modern conveniences since she would be cooking breakfast for her overnight guest. One of her specialties is blueberry pancakes when in season or pancakes with pecans gathered on the property. Since John has a fulltime job at Lowes he picked up material and made the headboard for one of the guest’s bedrooms. He is a pretty good fixer-upper.

On one kitchen wall John displays small sliding windows used years ago and an old sickle blade like the ones Dana Wilcox used when he harvested Mr. Cobb’s hay in order to acquire hay for his horse, Billy. A large table in the dining room covered with a burlap tablecloth where the cottage visitors dine is intriguing. When John opened a small door to the upstairs bedroom and adjoining sitting room I gazed at an enclosed stairwell with many steps that went straight up. My tour would not have been complete if I had not taken the wide steps to the second floor so up I went with Lynn following close behind. I was impressed with the new French doors and the magnificent view from a small veranda. In the sitting room there were toys and an old swivel school desk where children can play. The bedrooms are named the blueberry, pecan and watermelon rooms. The Bainbridge’s daughter painted small pictures that she framed with strips of weathered wood that depicted the bounty of fruit and nuts grown by the old time residents of the house.

The months of May and June have been good months for overnight renters at Patterson House. They have had young people from France, a couple from England, a family of four traveling to Texas with a well mannered dog and two brothers and two sisters who came to the area because of one of the brother’s illness. The four siblings wanted to spend some quality time together. They enjoyed their stay so much until they booked the house for next May in hopes they can be together again.

Lynn and John lead very busy lives as they live their dream as new owners of the guest cottage. The day Louise and I visited John was busy cutting grass while Lynn was cleaning, yet they greeted us as if we were old time friends. They took time to stop their chores and give us a leisurely tour. The Bainbridge’s seem to enjoy their new business endeavor. One thing for sure they are friendly people who have become involved in the surrounding communities. They attend First Baptist Church in Robertsdale where John, a member of the worship team, plays several different instruments. Although, we wonder where she finds the time, Lynn volunteers at Women’s Care at Robertsdale. We wish the Bainbridge’s well as they work to make this new business venture successful. If you would like to spend some quiet time in the country, call them up and schedule a night at Patterson House. They will keep the light on for you.

After Louise and I, who are old classmates, left we rode around the community. She showed me the vacant house she grew up in and the more modern brick house her late parents, Ernest and Leona Patterson built. Also, we drove past her sister’s and brother’s homes and her Aunt Katherine’s property as well as other relative’s homes. We noticed several R-V camps on Patterson Road. After crossing I-10 we drove down Styx River Resort Road to view the former homes of Warren and Dana Wilcox, but we could hardly recognize them since they have changed. It was lunch time by then so we stopped for a nice leisurely lunch at the Oasis by Interstate 10. As we ate we took other trips down memory lane.

If you would like to check out Patterson house on the web go to pattersonhouse-al.com or call (251) 300-9099 to reserve a room at this quiet hide-a-way. If you would like to read more about the Andrew Cobb family and how they helped the early homesteaders who faced hard times in the early 1900s you can purchase my book, “Pig Trails and Open Roads” at Racine’s Feed and Garden Supply in Robertsdale or by calling 947-5198. Bye until we meet again, Jeanette.