Restoration: The Murphy-Bromelsick House

Murphy-Bromelsick House, north elevation, Spring, 1998.

The Murphy-Bromelsick House (1866-1870) was originally raised shortly after Quantrill's legendary raid of the city of Lawrence. In August, 1863, Lawrence was sacked by Missourian Confederate irregulars led by William C. Quantrill. The massacre left 200 men and boys murdered. Many Lawrence houses were destroyed in the onslaught. The Murphy-Bromelsick House was one of the structures that rose out of the ashes. The rejuvenation of Lawrence was paramount in supporting the Free State cause, helping to create a roadblock to the westward expansion of slavery.

After many years of vacancy, the house was left to deteriorate. In 1997 the house was scheduled to be demolished. Through the dedicated work of community activists the building was saved. The property that the building sat upon was not for sale, making it necessary to move the house to save it. The house was moved a block and a half to Hobbs park where it could undergo its restoration. In the park, the house stands as a monument to the founders and rebuilders of Lawrence.

My part of the job involved restoration and refabrication of the windows and doors. Only about 40% of the original materials could be saved. The rest had to be reconstructed. The reconstruction required that any new work be a copy of what was originally there. All the correct sizes, joints, and trim details had to be reproduced. Accurate restoration was necessary because this building serves as monument to the people who persevered and rebuilt Lawrence. The Murphy-Bromelsick House is an example of the vernacular architecture that was so prominent at the time of its construction.