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LIONS
The namesake of the house is attributed to the wonderful Lions located on abutments on either side of the front steps. You will note that one Lion is awake and the other Lion is asleep. This represents a 24 hour sentry of the house. Soldiers standing guard at the point of passage to the temple.
The Lions are made from cast iron. With the help of Wayne Fuller, from the Robinson Iron works in Alexander City, Alabama, we were able to find out where they were made. These Lions were cast at the Wood and Perot Iron Works, located at 12th and Ridge Avenue, in Philidelphia. Wayne was able to send me a copy of the drawing that came from the Ironworks. We believe the Lions to be original to the house because Wood and Perot was in operation in the 1840’s when this house was built.
I had the Lions removed and took them to LaGrange, Georgia to a metal manufacturing shop where we gently cleaned 160 years of paint from them. I discovered the original color from the bottom of the paw on the sleeping Lion, thus the stone gray color they are currently painted. This makes sense because the house was designed to replicate a large stone temple, and has stone-like colors. They are to look like carved stone.
These Lions are extremely rare. There is only one other pair like them that I know of, located at the RIVERSIDE mansion in Columbus, Mississippi, an 1840’s Greek styled house that was recently granted National Landmark status.
The Lions are in exceptional, museum-like condition. They are very precious and priceless. (forget about it…they are bolted down pretty good!!!)