Fairfax House (Rock Hill, Missouri) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fairfax House
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The Fairfax House in February 2016
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| Built | 1841 |
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| Architectural style | Greek revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 04000280 |
| Added to NRHP | 2004 |
The Fairfax House is a very old building in Rock Hill, Missouri. It is owned by the City of Rock Hill. You can find it near the corner of McKnight Road and Manchester Road.
Contents
Early Days of Fairfax House
Building a New Home
A family from Virginia, the Marshalls, moved to St. Louis County in 1832. James Marshall bought a large piece of land. This land is now part of Rock Hill, Missouri.
James built the Fairfax House around 1841. This was about the time he got married. The beautiful home soon became known as "Fairfax House."
Fairfax House: A Journey Through Time
Moving the House
In 1941, the city of Rock Hill bought the house. It was moved a short distance. This move made space for new buildings.
A Community Library
The city turned the house into a library in 1944. It was first on the second floor. Volunteers ran the library. They used donations to keep it going.
The library was open two days a week. Later, it moved to the first floor. In 1957, the library moved again. It went to the Lion's Club building.
New Uses and Restorations
After the library moved, Fairfax House was used for businesses. This continued until 1997. Then, the house was moved across Manchester Road. It was placed next to the Rock Hill Presbyterian Church.
In 2001, a group wanted to fix up the house. They hoped to make it a learning center. In 2002, the city council gave money for repairs.
A Historic Landmark
In 2004, Fairfax House became very special. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historic sites. It was also listed by the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Workers continued to restore the outside of the house. They wanted to keep the old home from falling apart.
Another Move for Preservation
In 2011, the church property was put up for sale. This meant the church and the house had to move. Because Fairfax House was on the National Register, it could not be torn down.
So, the house was moved again. It went to a lot on McKnight Road. Sadly, the old church from the 1850s was torn down. There wasn't enough money to move it. Now, a gas station stands where the church used to be.
