The Harrell house is interesting because it shows the evolution of a family home from a simple drystack rock cabin to a larger and more refined dwelling as the family's wealth (and numbers) increased.
The entire home is furnished from the late-19-teens to early-1920s time frame. This stove belonged to the family and was used at that time. The home is open to walk through at the Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock TX whenever the RHC is open.
An interpretive sign nearby reads as follows:
"HARRELL HOUSE
1883, 1900, 1917
The Harrell house represents the expansion of dwelling as the family grew, and fortunes increased. This house began as a single stacked-rock room in 1883. Next, to box and strip rooms were added to the east side of the stone house. Last, the other rooms and porches were added. Over the years, the building fell into disrepair until Fay and Myrtle Harrell of Scurry County, Texas, found it and made it their project to restore. In 1961-1962, the sisters provided most of the somewhat eclectic furnishings to represent early West Texas."
We are identifying this stove as made by the Atlanta Stove Co. because we found an online sale ad for a stove that looks almost exactly like this one , but we think of an older vintage, say 1900s. The elegant script on the oven door looks more 1910s to us.
The ad text reads as follows: (
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"A Nice Old Stove. Not a Reproduction. From the late 1800's. One of the great features of this stove is that it is designed to completely disassemble so that it can be packed to a remote cabin via mule or even piece by piece in a backpack.
ITEM FEATURES
Warming Oven
Six Burners
Burns Wood or Coal
Includes Lid Lifter
Includes Porcelain/Ceramic Cups for Feet (Not Shown)
Light Surface Rust All Over, Brushes Off
Small Break in Corner of Warming Oven Door Frame
Atlanta Stove Works, Atlanta Georgia"
From the Cast Iron Collector website: (
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"Atlanta Stove Works
Location: Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia
Founder: Sam D. Jones
Period of Production: 1898-1957
Products Manufactured: Full Line
Brand Names: Early American
Atlanta Stove Works Timeline
1889 - Company founded as Georgia Stove Co.
1898 - Jones family acquires controlling interest in Atlanta Stove Works.
1902 - Birmingham Stove & Range Co. established to produce hollow ware and stoves for ASW. Site chosen for plentiful source of high grade iron.
1957 - Atlanta foundry closed.
1984 - Jones family divests.
1987 - Company sold to Martin Industries of Florence, AL."