Welcome to the Mann Property!

The Mann Family Homestead, a quaint cottage built in the 1920’s, is nestled in a beautiful valley just north of Birmingham. For years this house was a home full of love, laughter, and happy family memories as Jesse and Leola Mann raised their three children, Bobbie, Shirlene, and Marvin. As grandchildren arrived, the home was a highly anticipated destination for horseback riding, fishing, and cookouts.

As the years passed, the home was sold to another family and suffered from many years of neglect. In 2019, when the Mann family discovered the state of the house, it was repurchased by the family, lovingly restored, and gifted to our ministry in order to bless generations to come.

The path to restoration began when the family discovered the leather-bound, original deed to the property which traced the history of the land from the 1800’s. That discovery led to a Sunday afternoon drive to see the property. Unfortunately, the house had fallen into great disrepair and appeared to be abandoned. As heartbreaking as that was, the setting was still beautiful, and the memories of summers spent on the porch or riding horses all came flooding back.

As Lori Whitcomb, the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Mann, and her husband, Mike, looked at the property, they both felt the Lord prompting them to imagine what the property could be. It had once been such a source of happiness and peace—could it be once again? They wondered with the accompanying nine acres, pond, and the house fully restored, could it possibly be used by the Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes?

Mike called his friend Paul Huckeba, an ABCH board member, and asked if he thought the ministry might be interested. Paul and ABCH Chief Administrative Officer Chip Colee met the family at the property and listened to the vision. They went back and discussed the possibilities with the ABCH team, and it was decided that the property could fill a variety of needs, so with that, the family was off and running on the path to restoration.

Lori’s parents, Bob and Shirlene Mann Bruce, were in on the vision from the beginning and were excited about restoring their family’s homestead. They quickly planned a meeting with brother Marvin Mann, who lives in North Carolina, to see if he might be interested in providing financial resources for the project.

Marvin was dismayed to see the condition of the home and liked the idea of restoring it so that it might continue to bless others, as it had blessed him and his siblings. Unfortunately, their sister Bobbie Mann Naish had passed away the previous year, but the family knew she would have been thrilled with the project, especially knowing that some of her home’s furniture was used in the completed project.

Over the next year, the project slowly began to take shape. The deterioration of the home was much more extensive than anticipated, but the family was committed to getting it done and doing it right. The pond was restored and stocked for future fishing expeditions, the detached garage completely torn down and rebuilt, the deteriorating driveway removed and replaced, the house completely restored down to the studs, new landscaping material and a sprinkler system installed, a fence built to provide security for the pond, and once finished, it was completely furnished and beautifully decorated!

There were a couple of Serve workdays where employees from Brookstone Restoration, Mike and Lori’s business, and some ABCH staff members joined forces to do demolition and later landscaping. In the end, everyone was blown away with the results!

The Mann family’s prayer is that this home will be intentionally used to honor God, to support and encourage others in their pursuit of an abundant life, and to offer a peaceful respite from the challenges of daily life. The family is grateful for Alabama Baptist Children’s Homes mission to share God’s love with hurting children and families and are honored that this home can play a small part in that.

Since the Mann property completion in late 2020, it has been used as a respite home for family care managers on their off-days, foster families staying for a weekend away, or medical appointments and stays to Children’s Hospital, employees statewide using it for meetings in the Birmingham office, as well as church pastoral staff and their families using it for a time of refreshment, and many other uses.  

My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.
—Isaiah 32:18