Keet-McElhany House, Springfield, Missouri

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Located in Springfield, Missouri, at 435 E. Walnut Street is the Keet-McElhany house.  The house was built in 1881 and was officially entered into the National Register of Historic Places over 100 years later in 1984. 

The house was the residence of prominent Springfield ancestors for over 100 years.  The Keet, McElhany, and Holland families were important merchants and bankers in early Springfield, Missouri history.




Ancestors Within These Walls


Claude McElhany, my second cousin three times removed, resided in this house alongside his wife, Katherine Keet-McElhany.  The property, acquired by Katherine’s father, James Keet, in 1883, became a significant part of their shared history.  The couple exchanged vows within the home on July 7th, 1909 and continued to call it their residence until their respective passings - Claude in 1956 and Katherine in 1992.  


Claude was a veteran of World War I.  For the majority of his career, he worked as a clerk and salesman at Keet & Roundtree Dry Goods Store.  Later in life he worked as an Area Finance Officer for the State of Missouri Works Progress Administration.  The WPA was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers to carry out public works projects.  Claude passed away in 1956, from terminal pneumonia, of which he suffered for many years.


Claude and Katherine had one son, Ralph Keet McElhany, born in 1913.  Ralph’s life unfolded as a captivating narrative, worthy of a dedicated blog post.  After completing high school in Connecticut, he embarked on a journey that included a stint at Harvard University and eventual graduation from the University of Missouri, Columbia.  Ralph then found a position in the bustling world of advertising in New York City.  


Ralph’s story took a dramatic turn during World War II when he served in the Army from 1941 to 1946, achieving the rank of Captain within the distinguished 158th Regimental Combat Team, known as the “Arizona Bushmasters”.  Following the war, Ralph returned to Springfield, Missouri, where he resided until his passing in 2003, leaving behind a legacy woven with diverse experiences.


Visiting the Keet-McElhany House


In August 2018, my father and I visited Springfield, Missouri on what he humorously dubbed “The Tour of the Valley of the Dead McElhany’s”.  I led us on a journey through multiple cemeteries and points of family significance, including the Keet-McElhany house.


Based on 2018 research, the house had been converted into offices and had served as the workplace for several businesses for an extended period.  Prior to our trip, we were unable to pinpoint the current occupants or owners of the house. Upon our arrival in Springfield on Saturday, August 18th, we made the Keet-McElhany house our first stop.  What initially seemed like shock turned into a pleasant encounter when we found a group of young people enjoying a keg of beer on the front porch.  As it turned out, they were international students of Missouri State University, members of the ice hockey team, and were renting part of the house for the school year. They happily offered us a beer and a tour of a portion of the home.



In September 2023, I revisited Springfield, Missouri.  To my dismay, I observed a noticeable decline in the condition of the house.  A city notice regarding trash and debris violations underscored the neglect.  A brief walk around the exterior revealed signs of insufficient care.  Adding to the disappointment, the prominent sign reading “Keet-McElhany House” had been removed. Witnessing the state of this once-beautiful home, so integral to my family’s history in Springfield, was disheartening.


Keet-McElhany House Design


The Keet-McElhany house was built in 1881 as a 2 story Italianate style house.  James Keet added on to the house in 1886 with a one story wing to the west, a separate 2 story service building at the rear, and an underground tunnel connecting the basement of the main house to the service building.  The remodeling brought in Gothic, Second Empire, Queen Ann, and Eastlake design elements.  In 1900, James Keet added a 3rd story and enlarged the porch.  The final product chronicles the rapid changes in architectural taste and techniques of the end of the Victorian Era.


Photos from 2018 and 2023













My family tree




Citations/Resources:


Disclaimer:  I am an amateur genealogist, and although I am committed to striving for accuracy in my research, I cannot provide a 100% guarantee of the accuracy of all the information I present. Genealogy involves piecing together historical records and documents, which can sometimes be incomplete, conflicting, or subject to errors. Therefore, I encourage readers to approach the information I provide as a valuable starting point for their own research, verify details independently, and seek professional guidance if needed.

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