The Moore House is believed to have been constructed in 1857 as a single-story, double-pen timber-frame home on a knoll just outside the city limits of Cane Hill, Arkansas. Its relatively remote location helped protect the house from the destruction carried out by Union forces in 1863, allowing it to survive as one of the few remaining historic wood-frame homes in Cane Hill and the surrounding area. Today, the house provides a rare glimpse into the architectural and cultural history of the region.

The home was associated with the Moore family, including Henry Moore, who became a prominent figure in Cane Hill through his ownership interest in a local grist and saw mill. As the community rebuilt following the Civil War, the Moore family prospered and continued to evolve the property. In the 1890s, a second floor and attached kitchen were added to the original structure, followed by renovations to the front porch and interior in the 1920s. These layers of alteration became an important part of the building’s history and informed WER Architects’ approach to its restoration.

Following the property’s purchase in 2021, WER Architects embarked on a four-year restoration effort focused on carefully preserving the original house while giving new life to the property for contemporary use. The design team painstakingly restored the historic structure, respecting its original materials and architectural character while carefully distinguishing new interventions from the historic fabric.

A non-historic addition was redesigned as part of the project, creating a deliberate architectural contrast between the historic house and the new construction. Rather than attempting to replicate the original structure, the addition makes a contemporary statement that clearly distinguishes old from new while allowing the historic house to remain the focal point of the property. The relationship between the two creates a thoughtful dialogue between preservation and modern design.

The restoration extended beyond the house to include the expansive surrounding grounds. Native flowering plants were replanted throughout the landscape based on documentation and memories provided by descendants of the Moore family. The plantings were selected to reflect species that were historically grown in the adjacent gardens during the 19th century, reconnecting the restored home with the character of its original landscape.