Bragg-Mitchell Mansion


Bragg-Mitchell Mansion
Photo by: Altairisfar, Creative Commons

The Bragg-Mitchell Mansion is a 13,000 square foot Greek revival antebellum mansion facing Springhill Avenue in Mobile, Alabama. It was built in 1855 by Judge John Bragg for his wife and family to enjoy from Thanksgiving to Mardi Gras. Since Judge Bragg’s death in 1878, four additional families owned this home, the last one being the A. S. Mitchell family in 1931.

Recognizing this home’s status as a cultural icon, the Mitchell family decided to donate it to the Explore Center in the 1970’s. Deciding not to mess with the mansion’s historic integrity, the Explore Center built a separate science museum instead. The Bragg-Mitchell Mansion was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972; and after three million dollars’ worth of renovation work, it was opened to the public in 1987 and a 501(c) not-for-profit organization was founded to solidify the mansion’s place in history.

As one of the most-photographed buildings in Mobile, the mansion offers a glimpse of picturesque Old South lifestyle with its unique design for its time, a grove of century-old oaks, and fine antiques and crystal chandeliers.

The Bragg-Mitchell Mansion is open to the public for guided tours from Tuesday to Frida, with discounts for AAA cardholders, senior citizens, and groups of 20 or more adults. For persons with disabilities, there is added accessibility throughout the mansion. It can also be rented for usage in weddings and receptions, cocktail parties and dinners, luncheons, showers, and corporate functions. Those rentals are by appointment only.

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