Catlett House (Catlettsburg, Kentucky) facts for kids
The Catlett House, also known as Beechmoor Place, is a very old and important house in Catlettsburg, Kentucky. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a special building worth protecting. This house has a long history, dating back to the early 1800s.
Quick facts for kids |
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Catlett House
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 Location in Kentucky
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1600 Walnut Street, Catlettsburg, Kentucky |
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| Built | circa 1812 |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000788 |
| Added to NRHP | May 25, 1973 |
Contents
The Historic Catlett House
The Catlett Family and Catlettsburg
About half of the Catlett House was built around 1812. Two brothers, Horatio and Alexander Catlett, Jr., built it. Their family, including their parents, were among the first settlers in this area. They ran a busy trading post, an inn, a tavern, and even a U.S. Post Office from this very spot!
The Catlett family came from Virginia. They settled near the Sandy River around 1800. They became successful by trading along the river. In 1849, a civil engineer named James Fry planned out the town. He named it Catlett's Burgh to honor the two Catlett brothers. They were the first European settlers of what is now Catlettsburg.
Becoming Beechmoor Place
Many years after the Catlett family stopped their businesses, a big addition was built onto the house. This happened in the early 1860s. The owner at that time was C.W. Culver. The original Catlett House became the south part of this new, larger home. It was covered in white clapboard siding. This part of the house was used as living quarters for the servants.
In 1868, the wife of Colonel Laban T. Moore bought the property. Colonel Moore was a lawyer. He had served in the United States House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.. He was also a member of the 14th Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry. Once he owned the house, he named it Beechmoor. He chose this name because of a large beech tree on the property and his last name, Moore.
A Grand Home Today
Beechmoor has stayed in Colonel Laban T. Moore's family since 1868. It is still a grand and beautiful home. It has a library with over 2,000 books. There is also a music room, a formal sitting room, and a formal dining room. Upstairs, the main house has four bedrooms.
Large wooden logs, about 64 inches across, support the house. These logs come from very old trees. The house itself is about 42 feet wide. The original Catlett House part does not look like a log cabin anymore. The logs were covered with wood siding a long time ago.
The last person to live in the Catlett House/Beechmoor home full-time was Rebecca Patton. She was Colonel Laban T. Moore's granddaughter. She passed away in 1986 when she was over 90 years old. Before she died, she worked hard to protect her beloved home.
Since her death, the house has been kept up. This is thanks to a special fund she created. Money from renting out seven other houses on the estate also helps. The house has seen some changes over the years. An old porch was replaced, and then removed. The original green wooden shutters are also gone. Colonel Moore's family is working to restore the estate today. For example, the outside of the house was painted in June 2014.
