| History |
| The Friends of the Murphy House is a subsidiary of the Friends of Historic Preservation, Mount Clemens and is in the application phase of becoming a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our organization was formed by dedicated community volunteers who are committed to the preservation and utilization of the Murphy House [School Administration Building] in Mount Clemens, Michigan. |
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The Murphy House begins with a love story. John R.
Murphy frequently traveled to Mount Clemens to
partake in the mineral bath healing waters. A
prominent man in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, he began
his carrier as the Chief of Police and retired as State
Representative. His friends called him "Chief". On
summer trips to Mount Clemens he stayed in the
Clementine Bath House where he met Nellie Metler, a
hotel employee.
Having fallen in love with Nellie and Mount Clemens,
he purchased the Clementine. They married in 1911
and Murphy expressed his love by hiring architect
Theophilus Van Damme to design a stunning Arts
and Crafts style residence at 167 Cass Avenue
completed in 1912. Van Damme, a prominent local
architect, designed many bath houses including the
Clementine, the Park Hotel and St. Joseph's
Sanitarium.
The Murphy's brief, but happy marriage ended in
1917 when Mr. Murphy died at 67. Mrs. Murphy
continued to operate the Clementine and later
opened the Hotel Murphy and John R. Murphy Hotel in
honor of her husband. Mrs. Murphy died of cancer in
1926, leaving the estate to her niece, Lena Metler
Longstaff.
The Longstaffs resided in the house and operated the
hotels through the 1950's. Lena donated the home to
Mount Clemens Community Schools for $1.00. In
1956 the district converted the home to the School
Administration Building and utilized it for more than
52 years. The structure suffered a fire in November
2006 and is currently in danger of being demolished
by the school district.
Murphy frequently traveled to Mount Clemens to
partake in the mineral bath healing waters. A
prominent man in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, he began
his carrier as the Chief of Police and retired as State
Representative. His friends called him "Chief". On
summer trips to Mount Clemens he stayed in the
Clementine Bath House where he met Nellie Metler, a
hotel employee.
Having fallen in love with Nellie and Mount Clemens,
he purchased the Clementine. They married in 1911
and Murphy expressed his love by hiring architect
Theophilus Van Damme to design a stunning Arts
and Crafts style residence at 167 Cass Avenue
completed in 1912. Van Damme, a prominent local
architect, designed many bath houses including the
Clementine, the Park Hotel and St. Joseph's
Sanitarium.
The Murphy's brief, but happy marriage ended in
1917 when Mr. Murphy died at 67. Mrs. Murphy
continued to operate the Clementine and later
opened the Hotel Murphy and John R. Murphy Hotel in
honor of her husband. Mrs. Murphy died of cancer in
1926, leaving the estate to her niece, Lena Metler
Longstaff.
The Longstaffs resided in the house and operated the
hotels through the 1950's. Lena donated the home to
Mount Clemens Community Schools for $1.00. In
1956 the district converted the home to the School
Administration Building and utilized it for more than
52 years. The structure suffered a fire in November
2006 and is currently in danger of being demolished
by the school district.
| [Left] John R. Murphy (1850-1917) and his wife, Nellie D. Metler Murphy (1862-1926). [Right] Bath house brochure. [Below] Clementine Baths |
