In 1862, a purchase of 87 acres of land was made by Charles Reilley for $100. This encompassed much of the village of Mooretown, including all the land that now houses Moore Museum, Mooretown-Courtright Public School, Mooretown Sports Complex and the St. Clair Parkway Golf Course. In 1867, Mr. Reilley donated land for community use for a schoolhouse (site of the Museum’s main building) and jail (located where the Museum parking lot is now). On the site of the present golf course, Charles built an ornate 13 room house. The cottage was built in 1893, on its present site. When it was built it had a walkway to the river as there were no other houses between it and the water. The large family home was sold in 1941 and later demolished, but this cottage was used as their home by two of Charles Reilley’s daughters, Hortense and Phyllis, for the remainder of their lives. Descendants maintained ownership of the cottage until it was sold to the Township in 1970.
