The Draughon-Moore "Ace of Clubs House" is a historic home built in 1885. It features unique architecture and a wonderful collection of original family furnishings and personal belongings. It's the oldest standing house in Texarkana, Texas.
Built in 1885 by local lumberman and developer, James Harris Draughon, at a cost of around $15,000, this octagonal Italianate Victorian style home is a one-of-a-kind. After two years of ownership, James Draughon sold the house to William L. Whitaker, also a local lumberman and railroad investor. The Whitaker Family enjoyed the home for seven years and even hosted its most prominent dinner guest, railroad baron Jay Gould. In 1894, the Whitakers sold the home to Henry Moore, Sr. and his wife Katharine Fleming Moore for $10,155. Henry Moore, Sr. and his oldest son, Henry Moore, Jr. were both locally prominent attorneys and planters. The Moore Family owned the home for the next 91 years. Three generations of their family lived there from 1894 to 1985. It was the wish of their daughter-in-law, Olivia Smith Moore, the home's last owner, to have the house operated as a museum. It was deeded to the Texarkana Museums System according to her will in 1985 and has been open to the general public for tours since 1988. The collections include original family furnishings, personal belongings, and archival materials.
