Morris Sharp House

Constructed in 1875,^[1] the Sharp House is a brick building with a stone foundation, a slate roof, and elements of wood and stone.^[5] Two stories tall, the house is a clear example of the Italianate style. Its design comprises two wings that join at the base of a tower at the house's enter;^[3] the interior is divided into fourteen rooms, including one on the third story of the tower, which can be reached by ascending a spiral staircase.^[6] With its tower, the house is one of the city's tallest buildings; the only ones that surpass it are the courthouse and St. Colman's Catholic Church. Its prominence is further enhanced by its location at a major intersection; Washington and Columbus Avenues at the house. A grand design was Sharp's goal upon the house's construction; he reportedly claimed that he hoped for a house that would be "the showplace of Washington Court House".^[7]

In 1958, the Fayette County Historical Society purchased the Morris Sharp House, and seven years later the property was reopened as the Fayette County Museum. It remains in use as a museum to the present; among its exhibits are historic furniture, documents, clothes, and weapons.^[7] The house gained further recognition in 1974, when it and an outbuilding were listed together on the National Register of Historic Places for their architectural significance. One of more than a dozen National Register properties in and around Washington Court House, it was one of the first to join the list; only the Fayette County Courthouse achieved this distinction sooner.^[1]