By Cathy Wood
MSNHA media coordinator
An historic house in downtown Moulton that served as the local doctor’s office is now on the National Register of Historic Places, said MSNHA Historic Resources Manager Clayton Davis.
“The Price Irwin House, built in 1907, has been a significant part of Moulton’s history for more than a century,” Davis said, “for both its architecture and the Irwin family’s contributions to the local community.”
Davis and preservation consultant Katie Randall began work on the nomination in 2024. Davis completed the narrative description, made the site maps & photo map and compiled everything into the extensive nomination form. Randall completed the architectural survey & architectural description. Davis presented the nomination request to the Alabama Historical Commission’s National Register Review Board, in Montgomery, in 2025. The board votes on nominations to send to the National Park Service, which gives final approval.
“The research conducted on the site will be preserved at the Alabama Historical Commission and eventually digitized for public access,” Davis said. “The Price Irwin house was challenging because sources for this site were fragmentary and incomplete. Some claims made in secondary sources could not be backed up by primary sources. This inconsistency in documentary evidence made it trickier to speak definitively on parts of the site’s past and context.”
A two-and-a-half story Free Classic Victorian dwelling with Neoclassical porticos on both the north and west sides, the Price Irwin House features original columned porches, stained-glass windows, glass doorknobs and other historic details.
But it’s not just the house’s architecture that makes it a treasure, Davis said.
“True, the house is architecturally significant because of its unique blending of architectural styles but is perhaps more noteworthy due to the Irwin family. Dr. Robert Price Irwin was a great source of pride to Lawrence County for his medical practice and his many contributions to the community. From seeing patients in his home to helping found the first county hospital, his is one of the most recognized names in Lawrence County,” he added.
While researching the house, Davis discovered fascinating stories about its history. For example, when James Masterson Irwin built his “mansion” (as it was referred to in the local paper) in 1907,
it was perhaps the largest home in Moulton. It also may have been the first to have electricity – the original Delco System was enough to light the main floor. The entire home added electric lights when electricity came to Moulton in 1916.
James Irwin died in 1918 and his brother, Dr. Irwin, and Dr. Irwin’s wife, Mable, moved into the house. Dr. Irwin lived there from 1919 until his death in 1967. The home doubled as his office.
“It is not an exaggeration to say that thousands of Lawrence Countians visited this home,” Davis said. “Dr. Irwin not only treated people in his home, but he also co-founded the Irwin-Dyar Infirmary — the first hospital in Lawrence County — and helped secure funding for the present hospital. This home has tremendous historical significance in Lawrence County.”
A National Register for Historic Places listing can bring awareness to historic sites and open the door for greater public investment & preservation of those sites, he added.
“National Register nominations are one of the ways we help community members and groups who may not have the resources or time take proactive steps to document and preserve historic sites across our six-county region,” Davis said. “MSNHA coordinates with property owners and community members interested in getting a site listed, facilitates the work and makes the proper connections. We are here to help.”
For more information, email Davis at cdavis34@una.edu.
