History

After the Civil War, the Carson House had eleven different owners. In 1963, Miss Mary Greenlee learned of the proposed sale of the house and property. She spearheaded a drive to purchase the property for a historical site. She contacted state and local officials and historical groups for support. Through the efforts of founders, Moffett Sinclair Henderson, Ruth, Nina and Mary Greenlee, the house was purchased. Work began immediately and the house was officially opened in the fall of 1964.

Since 1963, the goal of the Carson House Board and Staff has been to preserve the Carson House and its contents. Efforts have been made to acquire artifacts that had been owned by the Carson family and those items from local families.

The Carson House has three floors open to the public. The house also has several rooms designated for special exhibits and other rooms furnished to replicate how the rooms may have looked when the Carsons lived there. One room houses a collection of rare books, family histories, reference materials, photos and scrapbooks of local interest. Exhibits of farm tools, kitchen items, blacksmith shop artifacts and large antique vehicles with wheels are on display in the barn. Additional outbuildings include a corn crib and the Captain William Moore cabin. These structures were moved to the Carson House property.