Morgan Manor

Website Contact the business

The Proffit-Morgan House served as a station in the Underground Railroad. When we moved to Petersburg, we rented that house & eventually sold it.

Construction of the home of JRE Goodlet Morgan & Emily Proffit-Morgan began in 1850 & was completed 2 years later. Some visitors to this page may wonder about our plans for such a big house now that we're empty-nesters. After staying at the Kintner House in Corydon, IN, 20+ years ago, we talked about someday finding & restoring another old home where we could operate a Bed and Breakfast. Our first 'project' was a 2-story Victorian in nearby Washington, IN, which was our home for 2+ years. We stayed busy the next 20 years raising 2 terrific kids & tackling about every type of DIY project possible, remodeling, & adding onto our 60's Ranch home. We remained huge fans of This Old House & subscribed to the magazine for years, dreaming that someday we'd find a big historic house for a B&B--not realizing for 20 years that the PERFECT house--size, history, & floorplan--was less that 2 miles away from where we raised our family! Anyone who has ever owned an old house knows there are surprises in store when even small improvements are being made, & shouldn't be shocked that we were a bit too optimistic to think we could be ready to start business within a year of buying the Morgan house. (I'm known as "The Eternal Optimist"!) So while it may appear to the casual observer that we aren't progressing quickly enough, please remember that making "band-aid" fixes wouldn't do justice to such a magnificent house. We're making every effort to maintain the historic features and use period-appropriate materials whenever feasible--while doing most of the labor ourselves AND paying as we go, rather than financing improvements and repairs. We have been assured that the Proffit-Morgan house will qualify for both State & National Historic Landmarks due to its age, unique architecture for this area, and historical significance of the Proffit and Morgan families. We also plan to document the home's role in the local Underground Railroad, where slaves from Kentucky on their way to freedom in Canada were transported from Oakland City in Gibson County, to the Morgan house & other home in Pike County, & from here on to Daviess County. We plan to host several Open House events: 1st for family & close friends; 2nd for current & past coworkers; & finally, one or more for the community. When that time comes, an announcement & invitation will be posted on Facebook & in local newpapers. We hope to meet many of you then, if not before! :-)

P.S. Please visit our blog for more history on our house and the Proffit & Morgan families. Better yet, plan to visit us after we finish restoration and open for business! Map: https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Petersburg,+IN&hl=en&ll=38.478387,-87.268267&spn=0.025231,0.038409&sll=38.685554,-87.508952&sspn=0.201263,0.307274&hnear=Petersburg,+Pike,+Indiana&t=m&z=15

09/24/2026

Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis is the 3rd largest private cemetery in the US, covering approximately 555 acres. The cemetery was established in 1863 on the highest natural elevation in the city---842' above sea level!

The cemetery contains 25 miles of paved roads as well as over 225,000 graves, with roughly 1,500 burials added each year. Crown Hill is also a certified arboretum where more than 150 species of tress & plants thrive.

Designed by Indianapolis architect Diedrich A. Bohlen & originally known as the Gothic Vault, the chapel is equipped with 96 crypts that served as temporary holding places during inclement weather or when arrangements hadn't been finalized. Most recently restored in 2005, the Gothic beauty is now a centerpiece of the grounds. Today the chapel is not only featured in tours, but is also available for weddings & special events.

After enjoying a half hour presentation of Negro spirituals, our group was led to gravesites of Civil War veterans (both Union & Confederate), notable Black citizens & soldiers, as well as several citizens who were involved in Indiana's Underground Railroad.

Thankfully, an early morning rain offered a reprieve from a week-long period of extreme heat. I was especially grateful that trees offered protection from UV rays---otherwise I would've been red as a lobster by the tour's end.

In addition to those remembered for their contribution to society, a few notorious individuals were laid to rest at Crown Hill. Among the notable citizens are President Benjamin Harrison, 3 Vice Presidents, Indiana Governor Oliver Morton, Hoosier poet James Whitcomb Riley, Eli Lilly, former Colts' owner Jim Isray, & several famous athletes. Topping the "Naughty List" is John Dillinger, who was buried despite the objections of citizens who defended the cemetery's predominately honorable legacy.

I hope to find more information about 2 people who piqued my interest---a young drummer boy, & a man whose life story became a lead character in 1 of my all-time favorite books. (Can anyone guess which book?)

After the tour, we drove to the top of the hill to take in a panoramic view of the city 3 miles away. Due to the cloud cover & mist, only a blurry outline of downtown Indy was visible. Until we can revisit on a clear day, I borrowed a few photos from Crown Hill's website.

09/22/2026

Shortly after we purchased the Morgan property, Mr. & Mrs. Walter Eversoll invited us to visit & learn more about the house & local history. Before leaving, Estelyn gave us a folder of photos taken when they owned the house.

Many of the pictures have already been uploaded to this page, as well as another article that appeared in the Sunday 6/9/1985 edition of the Evansville Courier. Since I can't explain why this item wasn't already in our Through the Years album, it may have been overlooked until now. (Hoping to find the music books I was hunting, too! 🙃)

I recall visiting Estelyn's antique shop on Main St. at least once, but don't remember buying anything. Several local artists mentioned in the article did ring a bell.

As Mrs. Eversoll explained, many of the pieces featured in her antique shop were part of the Gardener estate, some owned by 3 generations of that family. I believe someone told me the Gardener home was located on 9th St (SR 61) in Petersburg. If so, I suspect it was destroyed in the 1990 tornadoes. If anyone knows more about the Gardeners or their home, please enlighten me!

09/16/2026

Some time back I spotted a Marketplace listing for 10 sets of shutter dog hardware. Rather than ship them, the seller offered to hold my order until we could arrange to meet in person.

When our priorities shifted to helping our daughter battle cancer, the seller promised the hardware would still be waiting for us when we could make the 1 hour detour on the way home from Indy. That day finally arrived after we visited the Jones clan last weekend. Three long months had passed since we'd seen Henry & Violet! We now understand why our parents always remarked how much our own kids had changed in just a couple of weeks. Children grow entirely TOO FAST!

Sunday afternoon I contacted the seller to ask if we could stop by on our way home. She had plans for the evening, but offered to leave the box in the mailbox---along with a photo of the house where the shutter dogs were originally installed.

Instead of an old snapshot, we were thrilled to find a gold-framed 8"x10" color photo. The picture appeared to be 3 or 4 decades old, slightly blurry & faded. Even after I sharpened & cropped the image, it still needed a bit of tweaking by Google Gemini.

Earlier this week I forwarded a copy of the restored image & asked if she recalls the location of this Italianate, &/or knows if it's still standing. If so, I'll share an updated photo of the same address. Yet another piece with provenance for MM's jigsaw puzzle! 🥰

09/14/2026

Beadboard Bébé, Part 2:

After spotting this little beauty on Marketplace, I inquired about its age & dimensions. The seller explained the door was removed from a chimney cabinet of an old house in SW Illinois, & measured 21.5" wide x 77" tall.

Prior to this, all the doors I'd come across were too wide, too narrow, too tall, too rough, &/or located too far away. Ignoring my inner Goldilocks, who whispered a "just right" door would appear someday, I decided close enough would work for this project.

One of the dilemmas created by downsizing from minivans & larger SUVs is determining what MIGHT fit in a Murano. 🥴 Once the Fixer confirmed I didn't need the truck, I checked Google maps. Route A was via the Cannonball Bridge connecting Vincennes, IN, with St. Francisville, IL. Built in 1897 for trains, the bridge is supposedly haunted. It actually became famous for carrying the Wabash Cannonball across the Wabash River, & inspired a song by the same name. After being abandoned by the railway in 1965, the bridge was purchased by a local farmer named Stangle & was adapted for vehicles.

Photos & social media comments increased concerns about my physical safety----not from ghosts, but because it's 1-way, SINGLE LANE, & 1/4 mile LONG---meaning drivers have to confirm there's no traffic coming from the opposite direction before starting across! 😬 Even though the bridge doesn't sit terribly high above the river, the Wabash was nearly 10' deep at that point. I'm quite sure the creaking of its wooden planks would be drowned by the beat of my pounding heart. (Apologies for the bad pun!) Even had the alternate route taken an hour longer, I'd rather burn more gas than face this nightmare. 😲

As it was, the more peaceful route was only 6 mile longer, via Hwy 50 & crossing the Red Skelton Bridge. Named in honor of the famous comedian, the bridge was completed in 1963. Last updated in 2003, I had no qualms about its structural integrity.

Once loaded for the trip home, I assumed Google would guide me home along the same path. Instead, it directed me through downtown Lawrenceville, then to 3 minor highways & county roads. Since nothing looked remotely familiar, I prayed I wouldn't wind up at the Cannonball Bridge or another road hazard.

It wasn't until Google welcomed me back to Indiana that I realized I was approaching Vincennes. I couldn't recall the last time I'd crossed the Lincoln Memorial Bridge, which seems narrower than newer bridges---but at least it's wide enough for 2 vehicles to pass! Completed in 1932, the bridge is maintained by both the State of Indiana & the National Park Service. Knowing major repairs were completed in 2023, I exhaled & thanked the Good Lord to be back in familiar territory! 😌

After this publishes, I'll post a link to a YouTube video about the Wabash Cannon Ball.

09/10/2026

Beadboard Bébé, Part 1:

I recently tracked down what could be a descendant of the 1860 cellar door!

To be clear, the cellar door isn't being replaced. I gave it a facelift a few years ago, so it should survive at least another century.

The painted door may appear to be a reproduction, but it's an antique. It was salvaged from an old house in Illinois several years ago & constructed the same way as the cellar door, except with wider tongue & groove boards. It's also slightly smaller---only 22.5" wide x 77" tall, with 2 horizontal boards on the back to hold the boards together. At least I won't feel guilty about painting it white, because the orange paint isn't original.

So . . . does anyone care to guess the plan for repurposing our Beadboard Bébé?

09/08/2026

And now to wrap up our August 7 tour of Culbertson Mansion---

Except for 2 photos copied from Google maps, these were borrowed from the mansion's page. Otherwise I'd have to take the exterior shots from a block away, 'cause this place is HUGE!

For anyone interested in visiting, the Louisville Arts Council offers a "cultural pass" from May through early August. The pass allows admission to several historic sites & museums for a single fee, with free admission for Seniors on set days & times. As with most sites, it's best to call ahead for reservations, as tours are limited to around 10 per group.

That being said, I'm not ready to cross this place off the Bucket List just yet---because I want to revisit New Albany's historic district again & stay
at a BnB!

09/05/2026

Even 5 decades after the State of Indiana acquired the 20,000 sf Culbertson Mansion, it still isn't---& according to our tour guide---will NEVER be fully restored!

Photo #1 was taken in the gift shop/welcoming room, where tours begin. I can't recall what purpose the room originally served, but its stenciled ceiling & gasolier suggest this was another formal room meant for entertaining guests.

At first we were surprised visitors are allowed to see unfinished parts of the mansion, but our guide explained it gives people a more realistic idea of what's involved in restoring a historic property. (Both thumbs up from Mr. Fix-it & me!) The gift shop documents the process of uncovering the original stenciled ceiling, & steps taken to reproduce the exact paint colors & recreate the design. At the very least, I expected layers of old wallpaper to have been completely stripped before work on the ceiling began. But again, it serves as a reality check for anyone who thinks historic restoration happens as quickly as TV shows imply.

On the other hand, it served as a reminder that historic properties don't necessarily have to wait until every project is completed before welcoming guests, whether booking a stay or just touring. But I'm not sure we'd feel comfortable having strangers mentally critiquing our work, much less allowing access to half-finished rooms--or even those with bare plaster walls!

The door shown in photo #2 opens to a small area between the 2nd & 3rd floors, likely intended for storage. It's another area not included in the regular tour, although guests at Clue (mystery) dinners may be able to access it & other rooms not included in the 2-hour tour.

Photo #3 was taken in the "bare bones" 3rd story bedroom. As with other top tier spaces, there's no plan to return any to their late 19th C appearance. Plaster walls that were likely wallpapered when the Culbertson family lived here remain bare. The short staircase leads to another area used by household staff. As typical even in homes of the very wealthy, "spartan" is the best description of rooms occupied by servants.

The basement's kitchen/laundry room (last photo) is usually at the end of the tour. Our group actually started there, joining earlier visitors whose tour was winding up when the noon tour began. I suspect the guide rarely gets to take even a 15 minute lunch break.

Since ours was the last group of the week, we were indulged for nearly 3 hours, then spent another half hour on the front steps for "the rest of the story", i.e. ongoing maintenance & projects that went sideways. Considering the vetting contractors go through before being allowed to work on government buildings, we were surprised several mistakes weren't corrected. For example, how does a professional explain a curb stone along the walkway set with its profile in the wrong direction? We actually hadn't noticed until it was pointed out, but whoever inspected the project may have just shrugged it off & authorized payment. Our Hoosier tax dollars at work!

In our next post, we'll wrap up our August tour with a few more photos & brief history of the mansion.

Address

New Albany, IN
47150-47151

Website

http://1853morganhouse.blogspot.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Morgan Manor posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Morgan Manor:

Want your business to be the top-listed hotel in New Albany?