Campaign will raise money to restore Morgan City's second-oldest hosue

A Morgan City nonprofit organization is kicking off a fundraising campaign to restore the city’s second-oldest house and to turn it into a museum, which organizers hope to start renovations on this year.
Save Historic Morgan City Inc., a 501(c) (3) corporation, is trying to raise funds to repair the second-oldest house, which has been in existence since at least 1855, and turn it into a museum, said Deborah Price of Morgan City, who is leading the campaign.
The Gathright House is the second-oldest house in Morgan City and dates to at least 1855 when the Gathright family moved into the house on First Street, Price said.
In 1988, the house was moved from First Street to its current location on Myrtle Street next to the St. Mary Chamber of Commerce building, Price said. G&J Land & Marine Food Distributors Inc. donated the house to the city to preserve the home, Price said.
In October 2014, the City Council approved a cooperative endeavor agreement between the city and Save Historic Morgan City because the city actually owns the house, Price said. The agreement allows the group to raise money for and manage the project. “As of right now, the plan is for the foundation to basically run the whole show,” Price said.
Price wants the house to show the human stories of who grew up here, how they made it and how they built the city, she said. The house survived the Civil War, the second industrial revolution and countless hurricanes. It has seen the rise of railroads and steamships and the growth of the seafood, timber and petroleum industries, Price said.
Zebulon Pike Gathright lived in the house with his family. Gathright moved to St. Mary Parish in 1849 and managed Bayou Ramos Plantation, Price said.
The Gathrights came to the city at a time when a push was made to attract settlers, Price said. “The railroad came during that time. The steamships came during that time,” Price said. The timber industry was in the area followed by the emerging seafood industry, Price said.
“You had trade all over the place,” Price said.
Carrie Gathright, Zebulon Gathright’s daughter, grew up in the house and was one of the first businesswomen in Morgan City, Price said.
The nonprofit group is trying to raise $60,000 for the first phase to complete all of the structural work on the house, Price said. That phase would entail raising and leveling the residence, redoing footings and piers, where needed, and re-bricking the outside piers to keep with the original appearance of the house, Price said. Replacement of any rotten portions of the house and the roof are also included in that construction work, Price said.
Phase two involves interior work, which Price has budgeted $30,000 for, she said. Price hopes to get volunteer labor to lower the cost on the interior work, she said. The second phase also includes removing the indoor/outdoor carpet in the house, rebuilding a wall, redoing the floors, painting, and installing a restroom, she said. Central heating and air, and plumbing and electricity will also be added during this phase, Price said.
The third phase would involve actually creating the museum at a cost of $15,000, including adding audio/visual equipment and providing for museum displays, Price said.
Price hopes to begin renovations on the house this year, she said. As soon as the group receives $5,000 to $10,000 work can begin to renovate the building, she said.
“The whole point of doing this is to preserve the history of the house and the family, and Morgan City,” Price said. “The museum is geared to showcase the history of the entire area, what built Morgan City basically.”
Price wants the museum to teach children in Morgan City about the history of the area and also educate tourists who are interested in the culture, she said. Price, who owns The Frame Shop on Front Street, says Morgan City has many tourists visit from all over the country and even the world, she said. They are fascinated by the history of the city, she said.

This story was written by Zachary Fitzgerald of The Daily Review staff. Reach him at zfitzgerald@daily-review.com