Powell-Dietrich House


Photo by Jeff Holder
Powell-Dietrich House Benjamin T. Powell built the Powell-Dietrich House in 1859, and since it displays many of the characteristics of the period, its appearance is probably not too vastly different today than when it was built. The contractor was R. S. Milton and much of the interior decoration was done by B. Titcomb and John Winfrey. After Mr. Powell's death the house passed on to his son Benjamin T. Powell, Jr. who sold the house to his brother Joseph, the youngest son, who subsequently sold the property to Mr. Solomon Block, who, in 1888, sold the property to Mr. W. E. McRae. In the mid-nineteen twenties Mr. and Mrs. Carl Ramsey owned the house. It was then sold to Mr. Elbert Godwin and occupied by the Godwin family until 1962 when it was sold to Mr. R. Paul May. Dr. Fred W.Dietrich bought the house in October of the year 2000. In April of 1864, when Federal troops occupied Camden, General Rice established headquarters in the Powell Home and remained until the night of the evacuation of Camden. Architecturally, it displays the characteristics of the design and construction in vogue in Arkansas among the prosperous plantation owners. Perhaps even more significant is the fact that it is representative of the town houses, which were being built, by those persons whose wealth was derived from the growing and selling of cotton. The Powell-Dietrich House was intended to be innovative; it was apparently one of the first houses to be painted with the, then new, "steamboat paint". The painting was especially choice, being spoken of as "steamboat paint". It was probably what is called white enamel today. The Powell-Dietrich House is a two-story frame house, with evenly spaced bays across the front. The foundation of the building is of handmade brick, with frame and siding of cypress. It has a gabled roof. The original roof would have been made of cypress shingles. The porch roof is a gable extended from the main roof and ends in a Classic Revival pediment. This portico is supported by four round, slender fluted columns and pilasters. There is a gallery on the the first and second floors. Both of the galleries are accessible from the house, there is an ornamental iron railing between columns on both porches, the iron grill work is reputed to have been installed at, or near, the original construction date. The doors have been refinished to the natural wood. Door hinges on exterior and interior doors are original, but some of the doorknobs and plates have been replaced over the years. The oak floors are original. The walls are the original plaster over split lathe with only minor repairs having been made over the years. Fireplace mantels are original, as are all of the door and windows moldings. The molding around doors and windows in some rooms is twelve inches in width. The main entrance on the first floor is a large single entry door with rectangular sidelights and transom. The door is void of any trim such as pilasters or entablature. The house boasts one of the few circular stairways in south Arkansas. The original plan was to have the stairway made of black walnut, hand carved, but before the house was full completed the Civil War started so it was necessary to finish the work hurriedly and use Arkansas pine instead of walnut. The walnut lumber which had been purchased in advance was finally given by Mr. Powell to some Confederate soldiers in Marmaduke's command, who made of it many useful and beautiful articles of furniture which were sold in order to eke out their scanty food supply. Itinerant Italian plasterers reputedly made the decorative plaster medallion in the entrance hall although it is impossible to confirm the accuracy of this statement, or to pinpoint the date. The windows are double-hung sashes with six lights per sash. All of windows are original except for a few which have been replaced with copies of the originals the panes of the originals are of handmade glass. The shutters and shutter hardware, are copies of the originals. The house has box cornices, pilasters on the corners with fancy mold capitals. The entablature consists of a plain bean for the architrave, a plain frieze and concave molding for the cornice. There are three internal chimneys with corbel led cars extending from the roof. The access to the second floor gallery is a single entry door with rectangular sidelights and transom. The door is a glass panel type, three lights wide by five lights high. This door has neither pi or entablature and is without shutters. Except for the noted minor alterations, the house is basically original.

Benjamin T. Powell built the Powell-Dietrich House in 1859, and since it displays many of the characteristics of the period, its appearance is probably not too vastly different today than when it was built. The contractor was R. S. Milton and much of the interior decoration was done by B. Titcomb and John Winfrey.

After Mr. Powell's death the house passed on to his son Benjamin T. Powell, Jr. who sold the house to his brother Joseph, the youngest son, who subsequently sold the property to Mr. Solomon Block, who, in 1888, sold the property to Mr. W. E. McRae. In the mid-nineteen twenties Mr. and Mrs. Carl Ramsey owned the house. It was then sold to Mr. Elbert Godwin and occupied by the Godwin family until 1962 when it was sold to Mr. R. Paul May. Dr. Fred W.Dietrich bought the house in October of the year 2000.

In April of 1864, when Federal troops occupied Camden, General Rice established headquarters in the Powell Home and remained until the night of the evacuation of Camden.

Architecturally, it displays the characteristics of the design and construction in vogue in Arkansas among the prosperous plantation owners. Perhaps even more significant is the fact that it is representative of the town houses, which were being built, by those persons whose wealth was derived from the growing and selling of cotton.

The Powell-Dietrich House was intended to be innovative; it was apparently one of the first houses to be painted with the, then new, "steamboat paint". The painting was especially choice, being spoken of as "steamboat paint". It was probably what is called white enamel today.

The Powell-Dietrich House is a two-story frame house, with evenly spaced bays across the front. The foundation of the building is of handmade brick, with frame and siding of cypress. It has a gabled roof. The original roof would have been made of cypress shingles. The porch roof is a gable extended from the main roof and ends in a Classic Revival pediment. This portico is supported by four round, slender fluted columns and pilasters. There is a gallery on the the first and second floors. Both of the galleries are accessible from the house, there is an ornamental iron railing between columns on both porches, the iron grill work is reputed to have been installed at, or near, the original construction date. The doors have been refinished to the natural wood. Door hinges on exterior and interior doors are original, but some of the doorknobs and plates have been replaced over the years. The oak floors are original. The walls are the original plaster over split lathe with only minor repairs having been made over the years. Fireplace mantels are original, as are all of the door and windows moldings. The molding around doors and windows in some rooms is twelve inches in width. The main entrance on the first floor is a large single entry door with rectangular sidelights and transom. The door is void of any trim such as pilasters or entablature.

The house boasts one of the few circular stairways in south Arkansas. The original plan was to have the stairway made of black walnut, hand carved, but before the house was full completed the Civil War started so it was necessary to finish the work hurriedly and use Arkansas pine instead of walnut. The walnut lumber which had been purchased in advance was finally given by Mr. Powell to some Confederate soldiers in Marmaduke's command, who made of it many useful and beautiful articles of furniture which were sold in order to eke out their scanty food supply.

Itinerant Italian plasterers reputedly made the decorative plaster medallion in the entrance hall although it is impossible to confirm the accuracy of this statement, or to pinpoint the date.

The windows are double-hung sashes with six lights per sash. All of windows are original except for a few which have been replaced with copies of the originals the panes of the originals are of handmade glass. The shutters and shutter hardware, are copies of the originals. The house has box cornices, pilasters on the corners with fancy mold capitals. The entablature consists of a plain bean for the architrave, a plain frieze and concave molding for the cornice.

There are three internal chimneys with corbel led cars extending from the roof.

The access to the second floor gallery is a single entry door with rectangular sidelights and transom. The door is a glass panel type, three lights wide by five lights high. This door has neither pi or entablature and is without shutters.

Except for the noted minor alterations, the house is basically original.