Welcome to the Sterling-Moorman House Project

    This site is designed to keep all aspects of the Sterling-Moorman House Project in one easy to find place.  You will find meeting notes and agendas in the left pane, as well as upcoming events listed on the calendar.

    NEW: Join us for "The Music from Mullan Road" - 9/18/2012


    Join the Sterling-Moorman House Foundation as we take a stroll through pioneer music with "The Music of Mullan Road".  Patricia Chambers will present a musical history of the Cheney-Spokane area from the 1860's with music from Cheney's early pioneers.  Light refreshments offered with a donation.


    When: Tuesday September 18th at 7pm
    Where: Cheney Library - 610 1st Street

    About the Project:

    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 the 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 ongoing funding for building maintenance, and 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).  

    Click the link to see video of the move:
    http://www.spokesmanreview.com/blogs/video/archive.asp?postID=177 

    Project Objectives:

    The City of Cheney is currently restoring the house as quickly as they are able, primarily using volunteer labor.  Their current thoughts are to create a non-profit organization that would run the house as a living history center, representing the early pioneering days of Cheney.  They would offer tours, teaching and showing the community, especially our young folks, about how the first settlers of Cheney lived, what they were like and what they believed in. 
     
    This house is the oldest of it's kind on Cheney, and possibly in all of Spokane County and so the city of Cheney is doing everything in it's power to save this piece of our past for future generations to enjoy.

    The Sterling-Moorman Committee will be working with the City to oversee the Sterling-Moorman Project and provide guidance and structure as the project begins.


    Calendar of Events



    Sterling-Moorman House