In 1806, Conrad Michal purchased this lot for $80 and built his house before 1819. The amount and sophistication of the house's Federal style detailing, along with documentary evidence, suggests that the house was built by Michal in the 1810s. In 1825, Michal, who had just moved to South Carolina, sold the lot to his son, John Michal, for $850. In 1841, the younger Michal was forced to sell his home on West Main in order to satisfy the claims of his creditors
The house passed to John Hoke, one of the owners of the early nineteenth-century cotton mill at Laboratory. After his death in 1845, the property was sold to Dr. Zephaniah Butt, a physician. It's likely that Dr. Butt was responsible for the Greek Revival modifications to the house. In 1860, Dr. Butt, one of Lincolnton's most successful physicians, moved to Florida and sold his house and lot four to Martin L. Brown, another physician, for $2,500. A year before the purchase of the property, Dr. Brown had married Catherine E Bost, and the couple had two daughters, Violet and Lily.
Although Dr. Brown died in 1876, the house has remained in the ownership and occupancy of his descendants. In 1884, Violet Brown married physician John Pressly, but he died seven years later at the age of only 31. Violet Brown Pressly survived until 1922.
This house is a contributing building in the West Main Street National Register Historic District. It is now owned by the Lincoln County Historical Association (LCHA), who has been working on restoring the house for the past several years.
In 1806, Conrad Michal purchased this lot for $80 and built his house before 1819. The amount and sophistication of the house’s Federal style detailing, along with documentary evidence, suggests that the house was built by Michal in the 1810s. In 1825, Michal, who had just moved to South Carolina, sold the lot to his son, John Michal, for $850. In 1841, the younger Michal was forced to sell his home on West Main in order to satisfy the claims of his creditors
The house passed to John Hoke, one of the owners of the early nineteenth-century cotton mill at Laboratory. After his death in 1845, the property was sold to Dr. Zephaniah Butt, a physician. It’s likely that Dr. Butt was responsible for the Greek Revival modifications to the house. In 1860, Dr. Butt, one of Lincolnton’s most successful physicians, moved to Florida and sold his house and lot four to Martin L. Brown, another physician, for $2,500. A year before the purchase of the property, Dr. Brown had married Catherine E Bost, and the couple had two daughters, Violet and Lily.
Although Dr. Brown died in 1876, the house has remained in the ownership and occupancy of his descendants. In 1884, Violet Brown married physician John Pressly, but he died seven years later at the age of only 31. Violet Brown Pressly survived until 1922.
This house is a contributing building in the West Main Street National Register Historic District. It is now owned by the Lincoln County Historical Association (LCHA), who has been working on restoring the house for the past several years.