389 Summerville Road, Smiths Station, AL 36877

A LETTER FROM THE SELLERS: When we bought Lawson Farms in 2015, we knew we were becoming part of something special. This historic Smiths Station home, once owned by local author Caroline Lawson Ivey, has a story as rich as its setting. Ivey, who wrote The Family in the Library, was a Lee County native educated at what is now Auburn University. She taught in local schools before turning to writing, and her quiet creativity still seems to linger within these walls. In honor of her legacy, the Caroline Ivey Memorial Foundation was later established to support aspiring teachers in the arts and education. Originally built as a four-room dogtrot in the 1890s, the home has grown gracefully through the decades. In the 1950s, a grand Southern staircase and second floor were added, followed in the 1970s by a downstairs bedroom with its own private porch and morning room. Many original features remain, including heart-pine floors, tall sash windows, and hand-carved crown molding. A charming...