A more current photo of the 1883 Moore House.
By Joan Frances –
The history of Fort Bend is learned through museums and records, and fortunately for our area, beautiful vintage homes. These historical homes are reminders of days past that capture the true essence of what life was like over one hundred years ago, built to last a lifetime. Located at 406 South Fifth Street in Richmond, Texas, stands a stunning Victorian classical revival plantation home built in 1883 by Thomas Culshaw. This home is known as the Moore House.
John Matthew Moore was born in Richmond, attended Texas A&M University, served as a United States Congressman and was a cattleman. This Gothic Victorian home was John’s wedding present to his wife Lottie Dyer Moore. The home was built on 12,000 acres of land inherited from Lottie’s father, J. Foster Dyer, who died a year before the wedding. Her grandparents, Nancy Gray Spencer Barnett and Thomas Barnett, were part of the original Stephen F. Austin colonists. Their central focus of income was the county’s largest ranching operation with 7,000 cattle.
The Moore House was home to the Moore family for over ninety years, where Lottie gave birth to three sons and two daughters. John Moore was very active in politics, and from 1888 to 1892, he was president of the Fort Bend County Jaybird Democratic Association. He was engaged in the bitter feud that resulted in serious altercations and numerous deaths. Moore witnessed the Battle of Richmond on August 16, 1889 where armed fighting took place around the courthouse, the National Hotel and the McFarlane residence. Resolution was reached in October ending the 20-year turbulence. Moore’s oldest son, John Jr., was the mayor of Richmond for two terms and served as a judge in Fort Bend County. The younger son, Hilmer, served as mayor of Richmond for 30 terms beginning in 1949, making him the longest-serving elected official in the United States.
In the original floor plan, this majestic two-story Victorian home had four bedrooms with a center tower and cupola. The structure is sound and well-built, constructed of mortise and pegged heart of pine lumber with cedar siding, pine flooring and foundation blocks. After his 1905 election, Moore contracted C.H. Page and Brothers of Austin to remodel the home in a Neo-Classical style popular during the early 20th century. Six huge white columns support the front of the home with a sidewalk that leads to an arched front door welcoming distinguished guests. Seven coal burning fireplaces were added, as well as new hardwood floors, room expansions, remodeling and a front entry stairway. The First Baptist Church of Richmond originated in the Moore House, where church service was held in one of the spacious rooms on the bottom floor. The Moore family was always gracious and sharing with the community. Lottie died in 1924 and John in 1940; the family inheritors continued to live there until 1975.
Today, the Fort Bend County Museum Association has kept the home upgraded and beautifully displayed. Downstairs is a museum of fine furnishings and heirlooms reflective of the time the Moores enjoyed their home raising children. Upstairs are meeting rooms and space for exhibits. Weddings and special events are held all year. In December, the Moore House hosts the popular Candlelight Tour. Themes are selected and decorating is tastefully planned and orchestrated by the Fort Bend Museum Docents contributive to the era.
Vintage homes like the Moore House will always be a valuable key to understanding the past and how people lived, and maintaining the history of our vintage homes helps make our nation strong.