Burge Club
Wiley Burge purchased the property in what is now Newton County in 1809. Since that time – through periods of enslavement, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and 20th-century tenant farming, the land has been passed through members of the Burge and Morehouse families. The current owners and stewards of the property are Alexander “Sandy” Morehouse and his wife, Betsy. Now operated as a private hunting club and event venue, Sandy and Betsy have preserved the main house – a 1920 design by noted architect and family member Merrit J. Morehouse – many outbuildings, and a family cemetery. Through their longstanding stewardship, the Morehouse family has not shied away from the full history of the Burge site – documenting the histories of those enslaved at the site, the tenant families who farmed the land, and the many women in the family whose stories were integral to the ongoing history of the site.
Excellence in Stewardship Awards recognize those who ensure the preservation of historic properties through long-term care and maintenance, stabilization, protection or continuous family ownership.
