The Darius B. Moon House was erected in 1893 at its original site located at 116. S. Logan Street. Due to plans to widen the Logan Street corridor, the house was moved in 1978 to its current site at 216 Huron Street. The residence stands on open property with several mature pine trees and shrubs in front of the house. A large rose garden has been established on the south side of the house and perennial beds have been added along the north side of the house. The lot size is 126 feet wide by 132 feet in length. The shape of this Victorian residence is long and narrow measuring 67 feet in length and 28 feet wide at its widest point, excluding the porch.

The Darius B. Moon House is a two-and-one-half story, Queen Anne structure which incorporates Victorian Stick decorative detailing. The house features a high, cross-gable and hip roof and a prominent, three-story, square, pyramid-roof tower which features a projected gable with an applied wooden sunburst at the apex. The structure's sculptural exterior detailing includes chamfered and turned woodwork, paneled and patterned shingle gable trim, bracketing of various types and galvanized tin roof cresting. Roof lines end in wide overhanging eaves which are accentuated by decorative brackets above attic windows and end with a slight flare over the front porch. Constructed with wooden framing throughout, the house is positioned on a cinder block foundation, which has been sheathed with brick above ground level. Constructed as a balloon construction on an open frame, the structure was built with no interior barriers or metal sheathing.

The structure is situated on the west side of 216 Huron Street and faces east. A one-story, unscreened porch flanks the house on its northeast side, extending five feet east of the house and eleven feet north wrapping around to north side of the house. Two stairways lead onto the porch which feature four double sets of square chamfered porch columns which support decorative, cast iron, stylized Corinthian order capitals. The ceiling of the porch is covered with the original tin roofing. A separate roof covers the porch with a gable facing the east and an extended gable which faces the north. Both gables feature decorative trusses at their apex. A balustrade wraps from the east to the north of the porch. The original floor decking was covered during remodeling in 1978 which required chopping the railings of the original balustrade.

The house features both Queen Anne and Stick styling. The structure has a steeply pitched roof of an irregular shape with a prominent front facing gable. The exterior of the house is crowned with a high, secondary cross gable and hip roof accented by a three story, square, pyramid roof tower. The roof is covered with gray asphalt shingles. There are bands of black-painted, ornamental, galvanized tin cresting along the ridges of the roof and a black-painted, tin finial at the pinnacle of the tower. The finial and roof cresting are original to the house. A weathervane was later added to the top of the finial. With the exception of flush-boarded panel bands on each floor between the window sills and floor level, wall surfaces are regional clapboard divided into panels by raised vertical and horizontal, applied, chamfer-edge timbering. Attic windows gables are shingled at their apex.

On the east facade of the house's main block, a projecting gable, flanked by rectangular paneling, is supported by knee brackets. Above the attic window, shingling has been applied in a diamond pattern. On the south facade, fan brackets with acorn pendants support the second floor's gabled mid- section, which is cantilevered out over a broad, slant sided, first floor bay window unit. At some point during the 1930's, Mr. Moon had added a music conservatory to the southwest side of the extended bay. The conservatory was removed from the house before moving it in 1978.

In 1978, a one story addition was added to the west end of the house where a kitchen and breakfast nook were added. On the southwest end of the addition, an overhanging eave was added and a three sided extended bay was installed which features long period style windows. In 1980, a detached garage was built which measures 24 feet in length and 32 feet in width. In 1987, the deck over the westerly addition was enclosed, adding a second floor bedroom covered with a pitched roof which is in keeping with the styling of the rest of the exterior. In 1997, exterior restoration began and is still in progress.

Faith Rach

August 28, 2000

Sources: McAlaster, Virgina and Lee, A Field Guide to American Houses, Alfred A Knopf, Inc., New York, 1984.

National Historic Register: ......

Rach, Faith, Moon Remembered, 1997.