Page 6 - DAC Mehearg / Fitzpatrick Farm Photos

DIXIE ART COLONY
at the Mehearg/Fitzpatrick Farm
the second in a series of DAC Foundation “walk where They walked” events was held at the historic Mehearg / Fitzpatrick Farm on November 17, 2016. This event was co-sponsored by the Elmore County Art Guild. The site for the event was ounce owned by Benjamin Fitzpatrick, Alabama’s 11th Governor and grand- father of Wetumpka artist Kelly Fitzpatrick. After Governor Fitzpatrick’s death in 1869, the property was passed down to Kelly Fitzpatrick’s father, Dr. Phillips Fitzpatrick. After the death of Dr. Fitzpatrick in 1901, the farmhouse and 80 acres of farmland were passed down to Kelly Fitzpatrick. After Kelly’s sudden death from a heart attack in 1953, the property was sold to Elzie Mehearg, a longtime Elmore County Commissioner in 1954. At the time of Kelly’s death, Elzie Mehearg’s parents were renting the cottage. While the Mehearg family lived in the cottage, Kelly made regular trips to the farm.
Although the facade of the cottage looks different than it did prior to Kelly’s death, much of cottage remains the same. An example of one of the changes made is the addition of the front porch. Originally the cottage did not have a front porch and the original siding was vertical board and batten. The original siding is still underneath the siding, which is currently visible.
According to the Tommy Mehearg, at one time there were at least two gristmills, possibly three located on the property which were powered by Callaway Creek. Remains from one of the mills are still visible today. The mill site on Callaway Creek and the adjacent lake will be the location for a future plein air event.
Visit us at DixieArtColony.org or follow us on Facebook to learn more about the DAC Foundation and future events. Pictured below: Louise Woodson Smith (Everton) and Isaac Walton Fitzpatrick.