Whaley Historic House Museum facts for kids
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Robert J. Whaley House
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The house in July 2018
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 624 E. Kearsley St., Flint, Michigan |
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| Built | c. 1873 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 80001855 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 15, 1980 |
The Whaley Historic House Museum is a cool old house in Flint, Michigan. It's also known as the Robert J. Whaley House. This house is super old and important! It became a museum in 1974, so people can visit and learn about its history. It was recognized as a special historic place in Michigan in 1977 and then added to a national list of historic places in 1980.
The House's Story
The land where this house stands had a few different owners over time. In 1847, Edward H. Thompson bought the land. Later, in 1858, he gave it to his daughter Mollie and her husband, Austin Witherbee. Austin Witherbee was a cashier at the First National Bank of Flint. He even became the mayor of the city later on!
Before 1859, a smaller house was built on the property. It was in the Greek Revival style, which was popular back then. Austin Witherbee passed away in 1871. The next year, his wife sold the property to James H. Briscoe.
James Briscoe immediately built a much bigger house. This new house was attached to the original Greek Revival building. It's mostly the same house you see today! However, Briscoe had money problems. He had to sell the house in 1884.
The next owner was Robert Whaley. The house is named after him! Robert Whaley was the president of Citizens National Bank. He moved into the house in 1884.
Robert Whaley was born in New York in 1840. He lived in New York and Wisconsin when he was young. In 1867, he married Mary McFalan. Her father, Alexander, was a well-known lumberman and banker in Flint. The Whaleys moved to Flint, and Robert started working for his father-in-law as a bookkeeper.
In 1877, Robert became a director at Citizens National Bank. When Alexander McFalan died in 1881, Robert Whaley took over as the bank president. The Whaleys lived in this house for many years. Robert Whaley passed away in 1922, and Mary Whaley died in 1925.
Since 1974, the house has been used as a museum. In 2015, a small fire caused some damage to the third floor. But it has been fixed!
What the House Looks Like
The Robert J. Whaley House is a two-story building. It's built in the Queen Anne style. This style often looks a bit uneven or "asymmetrical." The house has a roof that slopes in different directions, with some windows sticking out from the roof.
The outside of the house is made of painted brick. The front of the house has three main sections. There's a porch that wraps around the front, covering the main entrance. Above the porch, there's a tall window with fancy carvings.
The middle section of the house sticks out a bit. It has tall windows on both the first and second floors. Above the roofline, there's a small section with a pointed roof. The section on the right side of the house has three simple windows on each level.
