The J. R. Silliman House is similar in appearance to the nearby Mowery House on the corner of Bank and Long Streets. This two-story weather-boarded frame, late Italianate dwelling was built by James R. Silliman in 1893. Silliman, a railroad employee, was married to Elizabeth Mowery, daughter of George and Margaret Mowery in 1889.
Tragedy struck the family soon after moving in when Elizabeth died a few months after their second child was born. Seven years later J.R. Silliman also died leaving two orphaned children as owners of the house.
By 1907 and into the 1950s, it was home to Cumi and Urias G. Wilson, a collector at the Salisbury Ice and Fuel Company on Horah Street.
The former Ice and Fuel Company building is now owned by Historic Salisbury Foundation, which will be opening an architectural salvage warehouse this fall.
It will offer salvaged building materials for purchase to local contractors and homeowners for their renovation projects.
This house became rental property during the second half of the 20th century.
A complete restoration began in 2002 and a rear addition provided new living space to the home. The house now has a restored staircase (the original being removed to make way for apartments) with a large historic, stained glass window that once graced the front of the old First Presbyterian Church (associated with the remaining Bell Tower at West Innes and Jackson Streets) which was demolished in 1971.
The house was remodeled to include a spacious kitchen, and the new addition included a large great room for modern living, although you would never expect it from the historic roofline that was maintained on the exterior.