Kies-Murfey House

4208 Prospect Ave
Cleveland, OH 44103
map

Parking

30 cars, Free Street Parking

Total Square Footage

8,000 Sq Ft.

Listing

National Register of Historic Places

Unique Features

Highly stylized, turn-of-the-century, Italianate Mansion built as a family home for Louis Kies in 1871. In 1906 the mansion was sold to Lewis A. Murfey. Murfey was a Cleveland native and a “prominent figure in Cleveland financial circles for the part quarter century.” (Cleveland Press, December 11, 1930.) The mansion features large, high-ceilinged rooms, historic design finishing, ample storage, accommodations for multiple tenants. ADA compliant.

Location

Midtown on Prospect Avenue, in Cleveland’s historic Prospect Neighborhood. Immediately accessible to I-90 and I-71. Minutes to central business district.

Historical Information

1874
Two-story Italianate mansion built for Lewis and Hanna Kies Lewis Kies was western superintendent of Empire Railroad

1904
Funeral for Kies in house

1910
Sold to Lewis and Nina Murfey. Lewis Murfey was first Vice President of State Banking and Trust Company

1929
The house became a rooming house operated by Mrs. Ella O. Spencer

1949
Whaley Industrial Supply Company converted house to commercial use, removing the original porch and adding a single-story masonry addition to the front of the house

Mid 1980′s
Purchased by Arabica for headquarters, coffee counter and bakery

June 2002
Purchased by Michael E. Chesler

September 2002
Ground broken for renovation

February 2003
Nominated for National Register of Historic Places

June 3, 2003
Grand Opening Celebration
Dedication of the Kies-Murfey House as the permanent home of the Saint Luke’s Foundation of Cleveland