Raphael Semmes House, Piney Woods Travel Guide

The Raphael Semmes House, also known as the Horta-Semmes House, stands as a testament to Mobile's rich and complex history. Located at 804 Government Street, this historic residence is best known as the home of Raphael Semmes, a prominent figure in the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War. The two-story, white-painted brick townhouse showcases a simple Federal-style architecture, with an added Greek Revival-style doorway and surround. The front facade features a full-width cast iron porch across the ground floor, added in the 1870s, with a floral design motif.Built in 1858 by Peter Horta, the house was later presented to Semmes by the citizens of Mobile in 1871. Semmes, a Maryland native, had a distinguished naval career, serving in the U.S. Navy before resigning to join the Confederacy. As captain of the CSS Alabama, he became renowned for capturing Union merchant ships, disrupting Union commerce and becoming a symbol of Confederate naval power.After the war, Semmes moved to Mobile in 1871 and practiced law until his death in 1877. In 1946, Joseph Linyer Bedsole and his wife donated the house to the adjacent First Baptist Church of Mobile in memory of their son, Lt. Joseph Linyer Bedsole Jr., who was killed in action during World War II. The Raphael Semmes House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 26, 1970. Today, the Raphael Semmes House stands as a reminder of a pivotal period in American history.