Tour of Homes

8 N. Congress St.

A pivotal building. This building stands on one of the original lots laid out by Colonel William Hill when he planned Yorkville. This two-story Georgian building, reflective of Robert Mills design, displays simple symmetrical lines. Windows are 9/9 on the second floor. The “Moore House” was built in the first quarter of the nineteenth century, perhaps by Benjamin Chambers. He sold it to John Starr Moore in 1823 for $4,000. Moore died in 1860, leaving the property to his three sons. Remarkably for the chaotic times that followed the War Between the States, the house remained in the Moore family until 1937. John Starr Moore's granddaughter, Miss Maggie Moore, was the last relative living here and supported herself by serving as Postmistress. The post office was located in the house. Frank Simrill, owner of an oil company then located next door, bought the property and converted it into a Chevrolet auto dealership, which greatly altered the downstairs and front structure. The present owners acquired the house in 1986. The woodwork and architectural ornamentation in the upstairs are mostly original. The floors are heart pine. An interesting detail is the Roman numeral windows. The windows are pegged and were evidently handmade to fit each space. To insure each was installed in the proper position, Roman numerals were carved in the frame of each. The original kitchen still stands and is now connected to the main house.

North Congress Street