These two historic homes are within a 15 minute drive from each other. Their personal stories are interesting and both sites are worth visiting. The first home was owned by a white family, the second a black family. Both couples established many “firsts” in their community.

The Pritchard House

The Pritchard House was built in 1891 by a local contractor in the Queen Anne style. This was the Pritchard’s last family home, passed down generation to generation. In May 2005, it was purchased for historic preservation by Brevard County. Brevard County transferred ownership of the house to the City of Titusville in March 2016.

About James and Mary Haley Boye Pritchard

James Pritchard was born October 21, 1836 in New York. He grew up in Missouri and enlisted in the Confederate Army serving as Captain. He met his wife Mary while visiting Galveston Texas after the war, and after first living in Texas and then Missouri they settled in Florida in 1876. Captain Pritchard was a businessman who first grew sugarcane and citrus before a bad freeze destroyed most of the crops in 1886. He then started selling real estate and moved to Titusville. In Titusville he organized the first bank (1888), then the first electric generating plant (1890), selling both. He purchased a hardware store in 1898 that was family owned and operated until it closed in 1981. He died April 27, 1926 in Titusville at the age of 90.

Mrs. Pritchard, born in 1848, was instrumental in establishing a bathhouse for the Indian River Bathing Club at the Indian River Hotel. She was a charter member of the Pythian Sisters, a fraternal organization whose mission is "to bring together women of diverse backgrounds and to provide opportunities for them to help themselves and others grow through the principles of Purity, Love, Equality, and Fidelity." Mary died 10 years after her husband in 1936.

How to Tour the Pritchard House

Tours are available daily from 9am - 6:00pm, limited to 6 visitors per group. You'll need to call 321-607-0203 a few days before you'd like to tour. The tour lasts one and a half hours and is conducted by a volunteer docent. It costs $15 per person and it totally worth it. The home has been fully restored and is mostly original. The contents are all donated items but match the time period. The surrounding gardens are open for visitors during daylight hours.

I don’t have any photos of the home’s interior - because photos aren’t allowed inside.

Harry T and Harriette V Moore House & Museum

The original Moore house was built around 1928 on one acre of property that was given to them by Harriette’s parents. Harry and Harriette were Civil Rights activists. Their home was destroyed by a bomb placed under their bedroom Christmas night 1951 likely by members of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). They were both killed by the blast (Harry died that evening, Harriette 9 days later.) Miraculously their daughter and Harry’s mom survived.

A replica was built on the original home site. The interior was recreated exactly as it was on the tragic day of the bombing. Their is also a museum on their 10-acre parcel with walking paths and a reflection pool.

About Harry T and Harriette V Moore

Harry Tyson Moore was born on November 18, 1905, in Florida. Harriette was also born in Florida, on June 19, 1902. They met in Brevard County. Harriette was a teacher and Harry a principal. They married on December 25, 1926 and built their home on an acre of land given to them by Harriette’s parents. They continued teaching, eventually started a citrus grove after purchasing additional acreage surrounding their home and also sold insurance for a time.

In 1934, the Moore’s founded the first branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Brevard County, Florida. As a part of the NAACP. he investigated lynchings, helped register black men to vote (leading the Progressive Voters League) and transported them to the polls. He also advocated for equal pay for black teachers in public schools, even though they were segregated.

In 1946, both Moore’s were fired and blacklisted from their teaching jobs in Brevard County because of their activism. Mr. Moore accepted a paid position with the NAACP shortly afterwards. Mrs. Moore took a teaching position in nearby Lake Park, Florida.

The Groveland Case is thought to be the starting point of events that led to their deaths. In July of 1949, four black men were accused of raping a white woman in Groveland Florida. One of the suspects fled the area and was killed by a mob. The other three suspects were arrested and beaten, leading to two confessing to the crime. A mob demanded the men be turned over to them to be lynched, and when they weren't, the mob destroyed the black part of town. At their trial, an all-white jury convicted the three men, sentencing the 16 year old to life in prison and the other two men to death.

As Executive Director of the Florida NAACP, Mr. Moore organized a campaign to overturn the wrongful convictions of the men, and in April 1951 they won the appeal. A new trial was scheduled, and while County Sheriff McCall was transporting two of the men, he shot them with the intention of killing them both. One survived, and Moore led the indictment against the Sheriff.

Six weeks later, on Christmas night a bomb went off beneath their home and both were fatally injured leading to their deaths. No one was charged in the initial investigation, but in 2005 the FBI re-opened the case and determined several KKK members were responsible.

Their deaths were publicized globally and is considered the first assassination of the Civil Rights Movement.

How to Tour the Moore House Replica

Tours of the Museum and Home are available Monday-Friday 9-5pm. You don’t need to call in advance. We spent around 2 hours here. We were first shown a movie about the Moore’s and then we had a guide explain the history of the Civil Rights movement (which started way before the 60s), while showing us displays and artifacts in the museum. We then had another guide tour the home with us. There was no entry fee, but one of us needed to register at the museum for our party.

We didn’t have time to explore the grounds. So if you were plan visiting both sites - be sure to have lunch in-between.

Visiting these two home sites in one day was enlightening. It was easier to consider the contrasts (and some similarities) of the lifestyles and achievements of these two couples. I hope you enjoyed this summary of our experience and consider visiting one or both of these historical sites.

‘til next week!
Kathleen

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