Propst House

The Propst House is a finely crafted Second French Empire Style house built in 1882-83 and restored for the visiting public as a house museum. It was originally the home of John Summie Propst (1853-1940) and his wife Nancy Jane Abernethy Propst (1858-1932). “Summie” Propst was a carpenter, homebuilder and woodcarver in Hickory and constructed some of the city’s finest early 20^th c. houses.

The two-story house was constructed by Propst on a lot along the railroad in a fashionable West Hickory neighborhood.  Married in 1874, the childless, middle-class couple would later supplement their income by renting rooms in their house to boarders.  “Jenny” Propst was an outstanding cook and gardener. By the 1960’s the property became vacant and deteriorated rapidly. In 1967 the Hickory Landmarks Society, Inc. was established in part to save, restore, and preserve the Propst House as a historic site.  The building was moved to its present site in 1970.

Today, visitors can see and experience the restored house as it appeared in the late 19^th century.  It is the only surviving example of this architectural style in Hickory.  Original family items and furnishings are among the period room exhibits. The J. Summie Propst House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.