Hollister Parry House Museum

Hollister Parry House Museum

The Hollister-Parry House was built in 1858 by Nathan Hollister, an attorney serving Woodsfield.

The Hollister-Parry House was built in 1858 by Nathan Hollister, an attorney serving Woodsfield. Research indicates the house was erected over the basement of a tavern owned by Spencer Biddle. Sold to Dr. Thomas Armstrong in 1882, it was rented out for a brief period and used as the Monroe County Children's Home. In 1889, Dr. Armstrong's partner, Dr. John R. Parry, bought the ten-room home. It remained in the Parry family until 1974, when the Monroe County Park District bought the furnished house and its surrounding acreage. 

The museum and property are now managed by the Monroe County Historical Society and features special displays about the early history of Monroe County. The museum is furnished with many artifacts once owned by the area’s early families and organizations. The main rooms are decorated to show the lifestyle of an upper-middle class family in the late 19th century. In other rooms, displays chronicle the history of the Ohio River and Western Railroad.

Notes for Travelers

Limited parking is available off the alleyway beside the house. Although the museum is open only by appointment, a walk around the grounds will reveal a one-room stone schoolhouse in the back garden.