The Sterling-Moorman House, listed on the Cheney Register of Historic Places, was relocated in September 2006 from its original site at 4th and G Streets to a new home at the corner of 2nd and G Streets. The move followed two years of efforts by City staff and Historic Preservation Commission to save the building from demolition.
Built 120 years ago, the Sterling-Moorman House is the only remaining example of the Gothic Revival architectural style in Cheney. It is believed to have been constructed by the property’s first owner, a local carpenter named Frank Sterling. Its name also reflects long-time ownership by the James Madison Moorman family.
The modest house features its original Gothic arch fenestration, wood drop cladding, and a later shed-roof rear addition that housed the kitchen and bath. The hand-hewn beams undergirding the structure show complex peg-and-tenon joinery, revealing the craftsmanship of its builder. While the building is structurally sound, the interior is in need of extensive repairs.
The home was listed on the Cheney Register of Historic Places in 1997, having remained in the James Madison Moorman family for some 60 years before it was sold in early 2004. The City of Cheney proposed that the Sterling-Moorman House be moved and rehabilitated. The City Council allocated funding for relocation expenses not covered by grants and donations. Other direct costs associated with the move were covered by donated labor costs from CenturyTel (telephone service), the Cheney Light Department (electric service), and Davis Communications (cable TV provider).
Join the Sterling-Moorman House Foundation to receive occasional email newsletters, invitations to 'pioneer socials,' and be among the first to hear about progress on house restoration. In keeping with the 'working class' roots of the house, membership dues are affordable for everyone at just $10 per year (individual) or $20 (family). (However, contributions beyond the $10 will go toward restoration expenses, and are much appreciated!)
The Sterling-Moorman House Foundation is a non-profit corporation formed to restore the house to useful condition, preserving the historic integrity of the structure while updating it for contemporary use. We are currently restoring the house as quickly as we are able, primarily using volunteer labor. Our intention is that the house will continue to illustrate the early pioneering days of Cheney, showing the community, especially our young folks, how the first settlers of Cheney lived, what they were like and what they believed in.
The Sterling-Moorman House Foundation will be working with the City to oversee the Sterling-Moorman Project and provide guidance and structure as the project begins.
