The Philip Moore, Jr. Stone House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and is one of the few primitive homes remaining intact in Southern Ohio. Philip Moore, Jr. was a Revolutionary War veteran who was born in Allentown, PA in 1761. He started building the stone house in 1797 and lived there with his wife, Jemima, and their four children, Levi, Philip, John and Elinor.

The Philip Moore, Jr. Stone House is also known as "The Cradle of Methodism." Many frontier "circuit riders," (itinerant Methodist ministers) would meet in this house to formulate plans for the future. This house has been completely restored and preserved.

The Philip Moore, Jr. Stone House was built with weathered sandstone rock found in the region. Moore started building the house in 1797, and people still marvel at its exquisite design and durability. There are two large fire places on each side of the massive living room used to heat the all stone house. The back of the house holds some of the original tools used in construction. Also, there is the grave stone of Philip Moore and another stone with Daniel Boone’s autograph. The Methodist Church in Ohio began here at the Philip Moore, Jr. Stone House.

The Philip Moore, Jr. Stone House is available for business functions, family gatherings, weddings or just a get-a-way!

History

The Philip Moore, Jr. Stone House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and is one of the few primitive homes remaining in Southern Ohio. The original deed describes the property where the house stands as being on an outlet of Old Alexandria, the first village established in this area.

In 1797, Revolutionary soldier Philip Moore came down the Ohio River on a flatboat with his wife, Jemima, and children, Philip, Levi, John and Elinor. Moore and his family landed at Old Alexandria where he built this house and lived there with his family.

Over the years, the house was changed and "modernized" many times. In 1973, Dr. Louis Chaboudy bought the house and began a complete restoration inside and out to return it to its original condition. It was purchased in July of 2005 by Steve Hayes.

The Stone House has served the community as a preferred, historic stop for tourists and visitors to our area. The reason for the Floodwall Mural Project was to use tourism to turn our economy around. With the new Visitor's Center, tourism will continue to grow. Keeping as much actual history intact in our area is important to the success of our area.

This house is known as a Pennsylvania Stone House, and the windows bear the keystone design above them. The sandstone used to build this house was cut from a nearby hill and dragged over to build the house. On top of that hill is the cemetery where Philip and Jemima are buried. Philip's headstone can be seen in the Stone House where it was placed by a Moore relative who found it vandalized.

During this time period, Methodist Circuit Riders or itinerant ministers met here to formulate plans for religion. Bishop Francis Asbury, America's first Methodist Bishop sent from England in 1771 by John Wesley, held the first religious service in the County in this house.

The History of Scioto County names Bishop Asbury, Reverend Henry Smith, Henry B. Bascom, and Peter Cartwright as the early leaders. The Reverend William McKendree was the first Bishop of the Scioto Circuit as well as the Presiding Elder.

Methodist churches of Portsmouth and Scioto County have their origins in the Philip Moore, Jr. Stone House, known as the "Cradle of Methodism." This shrine cradles the infant Bigelow church which later became the mother of four other churches: Franklin Ave., Trinity, Manly Chapel, and The Terminals.