Amazing Shobe-Morrison House in Gasconade County, Missouri | built in 1828 and it's still standing

Photo byA. Black via NRHP Nomination Form.

The historic two-story Shobe-Morrison House is west of Morrison off MO-100 in Gasconade County, Missouri. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 10, 1983.

This home was constructed in two sections. The first part was in 1828 and 1830 and the addition in 1840. The house is important because it's associated with Robert Shobe and the pioneer history in Gasconade County. Also, the house is a pioneer American-built I-house and was intact when it was nominated for the National Register.

Mr. Shobe, who was the first man to own land in the Morrison area, was buried in a cemetery on the hill directly south of the house. (Source.)

The house had a central hallway plan which means when you enter the house, the hallway leads to the exit at the rear of the house. There were two rooms on each floor on either side of the hallway.

Morrison is located in the northwestern corner of Gasconade County. The first permanent settlement was established around 1828 by Shobe.

The town of Morrison was named after Alfred William Morrison. At one time, he owned the historic home which was probably included in a tract of land he acquired in 1860. Shobe built the house and also lived in it. It's said to be the oldest building in town.

Gasconade County records indicate the property where the house sits was acquired by Shobe in 1818. This was when Missouri was still considered part of the Louisiana Territory, and it was another decade before the house was built.

Shobe was involved with organizing the Gasconade County Court between 1818 and 1828. From 1821 through 1824, he was Overseer of Roads. In 1825, he served as Justice of the Peace. In 1826, Shobe was influential in getting a road constructed from Morrison to Jefferson City.

According to Ancestry.com, Shobe died in 1837. In that same year, Mary Shobe was appointed guardian of the children. This must have been his wife because he married a woman named Mary Shobe. He also had a sister named Mary Shobe, but she died a decade earlier. The property remained in the Shobe family until 1858.

The property was sold to Alfred William Morrison who was a native of Kentucky. He moved to Howard County, Missouri in 1820 with his family. Morrison served as a surveyor for the state of Missouri, a sheriff, and was a member of the Howard County Court.

In 1839, he was appointed to the Commission to Expel the Mormons. In 1851, Morrison was the Secretary of the Treasury of Missouri, a role he fulfilled until the beginning of the Civil War.

It's also believed that while Morrison owned the house, he might not have lived in it. However, according to the 1860 census records, his son, William J. Morrison, was in the house. He was also the first postmaster of Morrison as of March 1860.

Julius Meyer, a native of Prussia, purchased the house in 1864. The property was in the Meyer family until 1959. Tenants rented the house from 1890 through 1959. The property was divided and some of the land was given to the city for a park.

When the house was nominated for the National Register, the owners were Myron C. and Margaret Rost. They have since passed away in 2002 and 1999, respectively.

The Rosts rented the house to the Lion's Club so it could be maintained and repaired. It was vacant and used for meetings and tours. The house was deeded to the Morrison Lions Club in 1975, and a federal Bicentennial fund grant was provided to renovate the house.

According to CityData.com, the population of Morrison as of 2022 was 98.

Thanks for reading!