Donnelly House and Gardens (Birmingham, Alabama)

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The historic Donnelly House, a beautiful example of neo-classical architecture, was built in 1905 to serve as the residence of James W. Donnelly. Mr. Donnelly was a highly respected industrialist, manufacturer, real-estate developer, philanthropist, and civic leader. After retiring from the Proctor & Gamble Company in Cincinnati, he moved south to Birmingham where this magnificent Georgian-colonial mansion had been constructed, featuring over 12,000 square feet of living space and spectacular white marble floors.

One of Mr. Donnelly's primary interests was support for the Birmingham Public Library, which became one of the finest systems in the southeast.

While the Donnelly House has served primarily as a private residence, it was also the home of the Birmingham Civic Ballet^[1] during the 1950s. Ultimately, the home was purchased and opened as a venue for weddings, business meetings and other activities. Management of the home and gardens was assumed by Culinard Catering, a division of Culinard, the Culinary Institute of Virginia College, in October 2007.

The home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 as a part of the Highland Avenue Historic District^[2]^[3].