Larimore House

The Larimore House is a historic residence and school in Florence, Alabama. The house was built as a residence for Theophilus Brown Larimore, and served as the center of a school, known as Mars Hill College. The school operated from 1871 until 1887, and Larimore lived in the house until his wife's death in 1907. His son, Virgil, lived in the house until 1946, when it was acquired by the Lauderdale County Bible School, which opened in the house in 1947. The school's name changed to Mars Hill Bible School in 1951, and the house still stands at the entrance to campus.The house features Victorian influences, and has a nearly full-width, double-height veranda across the façade, supported by six square columns. The front entrance is flanked by pairs of four-over-four sash windows with Gothic-influenced arched tops; the windows are repeated on each side of the house. The upper floor has single six-over-six sashes. The house has a center-hall plan with two rooms on either side of a central hall on each floor. Two interior chimneys lead to six fireplaces with hand-carved mantels.The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.