Charles H. Moore–Albert E. Sleeper House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Charles H. Moore–Albert E. Sleeper House
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 7277 Simons St., Lexington, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | c. 1860 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 85000064 |
| Added to NRHP | January 11, 1985 |
The Charles H. Moore–Albert E. Sleeper House is a historic building in Lexington, Michigan. It was once a private home. Later, it became the summer house for Albert E. Sleeper, who was a governor of Michigan. Today, this beautiful house is a bed and breakfast called A Captain's Quarters Inn. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
Contents
History of the House
Charles H. Moore's Family Home
Charles H. Moore was born in 1824 in Bath, New Hampshire. He married Sophia Hodges in 1848. In 1850, they moved to Ohio.
By 1854, the couple settled in Lexington, Michigan. They bought a farm there. Charles also worked as a carpenter in the area. Their move was successful.
In 1856, the Moores bought three lots in Lexington. This is where the house stands today. They built the house around 1860. Charles Moore was very active in the village. He worked with a general store called J.L. Woods and Company. He also served on the local volunteer fire department. He was a Trustee on the Village Council too.
Governor Albert E. Sleeper's Connection
In 1901, Mary Moore, Charles's youngest daughter, married Albert E. Sleeper. Albert was born in Bradford, Vermont, in 1862. He moved to Lexington in 1884.
Albert Sleeper first worked as a merchant. Then, he started many local banks. These banks were in towns like Yale, Bad Axe, and Lexington.
By the 1890s, Albert Sleeper entered politics. He served as the President of Lexington Village. After marrying Mary Moore, he was elected to the state legislature. He later became the state treasurer. In 1916, he was elected as Governor of Michigan. He served as governor until 1920.
From Home to Inn
The Sleepers moved their main home to Bad Axe in 1904. However, they kept this house in Lexington as a summer home. They used it until Albert Sleeper passed away in 1934. The family sold the house soon after.
The house was used as a single-family home until 1983. Then, it was renovated and opened as a bed and breakfast. It was first known as the "Governor's Inn." Over the years, different people have run the bed and breakfast. As of 2017, it is known as "A Captain's Quarters Inn."
Design of the House
The Charles H. Moore–Albert E. Sleeper House is a two-story building. It is made of wood and covered with horizontal wooden boards called clapboard. The house has a steep roof and a simple shape. This design shows the Gothic Revival style from when it was first built.
Later, some fancy decorations were added. These decorations are in the Queen Anne style. They include curved supports and decorative turned pieces. The front of the house has three sections. The left section has a double entry door. The middle and right sections have tall window-doors that go from the floor to the ceiling.
On the second floor, there are three windows. These are "two-over-two" windows, meaning each window has two panes of glass on the top and two on the bottom. A porch with Queen Anne details stretches across the front of the house and wraps around to the side.
Inside, the house has a simple design. On the first floor, there is a side staircase and a hallway. There is also a front living room and a back living room. The back living room is now a sun room. The second floor has three bedrooms and a nursery. The nursery is now a full bathroom.
