Algood To Purchase White Plains

The city of Algood will be purchasing the historic White Plains home.

The city council unanimously approved the $250,000 purchase this week. The purchase includes 2.27 acres.

The antebellum home has a unique history as Putnam County’s earliest center of commerce, its first seat of government and an important stop along the Old Walton Road. In 2009 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“I am thrilled that the city of Algood is going to acquire White plans and transform it into a venue for living history demonstrations and experiential learning,” Upper Cumberland Development District Historic Preservation Planner Mark Dudney said.

Dudney also serves as President of Friends of White Plains, a non-profit group that formed in late 2012 to help preserve the historic home.

Members of the group, Mona Copeland and her husband, Dr. Scott Copeland, bought the property in October of 2013 before it could potentially be bought by a developer with no interest in preserving it.

Dudney said by buying the property and maintaining it until they found the right partner to preserve it, Mona and Scott Copeland saved White Plains.

With the recent purchase, the city plans to turn the home into a quilt museum and a tourists destination.

City officials also hinted Tuesday that the home could include Civil War history and have rooms designated for Algood history and school history.

“I am excited that the city and citizens of Algood will have the opportunity to restore and develop a valuable piece of history for not only Algood and Putnam County, but also the state of Tennessee,” Algood Mayor Kirk Dyer said.

Some work will have to conducted into order to bring the whole project to fruition. Dudney said he hopes a number of grant opportunities could help with that.

“The leadership of Algood, this really did take some vision on their part,” Dudney said. “I’m excited about what the future holds.”