Travis Kelce’s New Ohio Home Has a History Worthy of a Taylor Swift Song

Does Taylor Swift ever get writer’s block? We may never know, but should she need inspiration, we have a suggestion for where she should turn: Travis Kelce’s new Cleveland Gilded Age mansion. Just like Swift’s own Rhode Island house—which was the basis for her song The Last Great American Dynasty—her husband’s new 21,000-square-foot Tudor-style dwelling is chock full of stories ripe for the telling.The NFL star picked up the residence for $5.35 million this spring, shortly after news broke that he and Swift were seeking a “forever home” in the Cleveland area. Known as Moyenage, the house is “a real testament to a time that doesn’t exist anymore,” says The Agency Cleveland’s David Ayers, who was one of the property’s listing agents.Below, we’re unpacking all the rumors about the century-old mansion, from its illustrious list of previous owners to speculations about its history as a Prohibition-era speakeasy. Don’t be surprised if you hear these details pop up in a hit song.The entry and stairway of the home were featured in a television show. Photo: Cara Miller of The Agency ClevelandTwo well-known architects worked together on the homeMoyenage was commissioned in 1902. Prominent industrialist Jay Morse commissioned Chicago architect Jarvis Hunt to bring the estate to life. If his last name sounds familiar, it’s because he is the nephew of Richard Morris Hunt, the man responsible for the Biltmore estate. Jarvis was not licensed in Cleveland, so he enlisted Charles Schweinfurth as his partner on the project. Schweinfurth was “one of the most influential architects of Cleveland,” says architectural historian Angelina Bair, who researched the house for three years and serves on the board of Western Reserve Architectural Historians.The observatory features amber glass skylights—while it looks like leaded glass, it’s actually copper tubing and crystal. Photo: Cara Miller for The Agency ClevelandMoyenage has an older sister (and you can live there!)While Moyenage is obviously off the market, its 10,000-square-foot sibling, a Jacobean mansion called the Seven Gable House in Wheaton, Illinois, is up for grabs for $1.75 million. Jarvis Hunt built Seven Gable House for Morse’s daughter; he loved the suburban Illinois estate so much that he wanted Moyenage to draw inspiration from it.Both estates divert from the architect’s norm, according to Bob Goldborough, a Jarvis Hunt scholar. Hunt generally designed stucco houses, but Moyenage and Seven Gable House are both brick.A number of influential businesspeople have called Moyenage homeJust one year after the house was finished, Morse passed away from health complications, leaving the estate to his wife, Seville Morse. The widow was also appointed as a partner at her late husband’s iron mining and shipping firm Pickands Mather & Co. “She was a very skilled businessperson,” says Thomas Matowitz, architectural historian and board director of Cleveland Architecture Foundation. Seville helmed the company for more than 20 years. She was also a philanthropist. After her death in 1927, she left Cleveland charities $410,000—almost $8 million in today’s dollars.Moyenage’s next owner was another industrialist, George Martin, who was eventually appointed president at Sherwin-Williams. When Martin was on the board of the Cleveland Indians (now the Guardians), he was responsible for signing Lou Boudreau, a Hall of Fame shortstop.The home’s dining room Photo: Greg HuthThis manse is subject to the rumor millWhile locals and news reports alike say that the home’s third-floor ballroom served as a speakeasy during Prohibition, Matowitz casts doubt upon this theory. Prohibition was in place between 1920 to 1933, which aligns with Seville Morse’s and George Martin’s residencies—unlikely candidates for bootlegging, per the historian. “I doubt [Seville] was running a liquor establishment, I find that very far-fetched,” he says.The home was rumored to be a speakeasy spot during Prohibition, but the Cleveland Architecture Foundation’s Thomas Matowitz believes its unlikely given the general profile of the residents during that time. Photo: Greg HuthThe entryway and staircase were featured in a TV showThe entry to Moyenage was featured in the 1960s TV program Route 66. A couple is shown kissing in the doorway under the carved pediment. Cue Swift’s lyrics: “Well, you stood there with me in the doorway / My hands shake, I’m not usually this way…”The home’s front entry, featuring manicured greenery. Daffodils are found on the grounds in the springtime. Photo: Cara Miller of The Agency ClevelandSwift’s cats may enjoy the decorSwift is a self-professed cat lady who once told Time she is “obsessed” with the animals because “they’re very dignified. They’re independent. They’re very capable of dealing with their own life.” We’re not sure if her affinity for felines extends to lions, but if so, she’s sure to appreciate the big cat details throughout her new digs. There is a lion’s head front door knocker and eight lions perched atop the newel posts of the entrance hall’s stairway.Lions stand sentinel along the stairway’s posts. Photo: Greg Huth/Cara Miller at The Agency ClevelandIf you look closely, you’ll see the inscription, “In Deo solo confido,” Latin for “In God alone I trust.”