Union Springs is the county seat of Bullock County, Alabama. Like many towns, it experienced significant growth because of rail lines that ran through the time. With a population of just over 3,400, the town is filled with palatial homes that show how the town thrived.

The Rainer-Lewis is one of those homes. The Neo-Classical Revival home was completed in 1904 for William Walton (W. W.) and Celia Rainer. W. W. served as the Merchant and Farmers Bank president and was also involved in state politics. William passed away in 1929, and census records indicate that Celia lived in the home until she died in 1931.

I cannot determine who the homeowners were from 1931 to 1971. I know that the Rainer children were not living in the home in the 1940s. Confirmed homeowners after that were J. W. Springers in 1971 and D. F. Masters in 1980. John Mertz sold the home to Helen and Frances Masters in 1993.

Albert and Joice Lewis owned the home for the longest time outside of the Rainer family. They owned the home from 1994 to 2009 until they relocated to California. Dr. Joice Bailey Lewis served as superintendent of Bullock County schools. She was the first female superintendent for Bullock County.

The home was last occupied in 2015. Since then it has slowly fallen into disrepair.