Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, The Mallory Neely House was built ca. 1852 in the Italianate Style. The villa-style home was built by Isaac Kirtland, and later became the residence of Memphians, Benjamin Babb, James C. Neely, Daniel Grant, and Barton Lee Mallory. The home was renovated in the last decades of the 19th century: James C. Neely and his wife, Frances added the tower room and the third floor was expanded to extend the space to 15, 903 square feet (1). Unlike most museum homes of its kind, the Mallory-Neely House retains most of its original furnishings. The Neely family contributed the parquet flooring, hand-painted ceilings, and stenciling. Upon entering the home, one observes the massive and beautiful stained-glass window at the first-floor landing, which was purchased at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 (1). The house was given to the Daughters of the American Revolution by the Mallory family, but became property of the city of Memphis in 1987 and is now run by the Pink Palace family of museums (2)
The Victorian era (roughly 1836-1901) was very much a stratified society. Women and men occupied their own respective social "spheres" in which men were relegated to the world of industry, politics, business, economics, law, and medicine; women were relegated to the world of the home and the hearth. A Victorian adage explains that "man was the head of the household; women were the heart."
In keeping with this stratification, the architecture and furnishings of the Victorian home reflected the social mores of the time. Social spaces were segregated: the ladies of the house held their sewing circles and watched over the children in their own parlor, while men smoked cigars, discussed the business of the day, and talked politics in the men's parlor.
Manners were held in high regard, and rigid social codes were held in place and reinforced by middle- and upper-middle class families. When a visitor came to call, he would be greeted by the butler of the house, who of course was well-informed of the family's inner circle. The visitor would place his calling card in a dish for the butler to take it to the lady of the house--but not before seating the visitor in either a rigid, stiff-backed chair (if he was disliked) or a soft, comfortable one on the opposite wall (if he was well-liked).
Social events were particularly important to the wealthy middle class families of the period. The Mallory-Neely home, like many others, featured a large ballroom where parties were held. However, not all in attendance were held in equal esteem: musicians, considered members of the lower class, where hidden behind a curtain, so that their music could be heard, but they would remain unseen.
As the Mallory-Neely House sits amid other homes owned by wealthy cotton merchants of the day, this gallery of Victorian-era homes became known as "Millionaire's Row." The interiors reflect the conspicuous wealth of the family, boasting imported carpets and furniture, and decor that borders on the eclectic: it was a frequent pastime of wealthy families to visit the Chicago World's Fair, and to collect items from far-flung parts of the world. A single room may boast a chest with oriental inlay from China, an end table from France, art pieces from Spain, and so on--such was the taste of the Victorian merchant class.
As we tour the mansion, think about the ways in which its interiors reflect the social codes of the day. What features stand out to you? Can you imagine life as it might have been inside such a home? In your posts (app. 300 words), recall some aspect of the tour that affected you the most. What did you learn about the people who lived there--the families, their structure, their social lives?
Read more about the Mallory-Neely House, the Fontaine House, and the James Lee House:
I went to the Woodruff- Fontaine House on Friday afternoon. Unlike the Mallory-Neely house the Woodruff-Fontaine house is less concerned with the families it’s named after, because they only lived there for about 45 years, the house has been an art school and a museum for most of the time it’s been standing. Whereas the Mallory-Neely family lived in the house for a looong time.
ReplyDeleteThe interiors of the Woodruff-Fontaine house were designed specifically with the social codes of the time in mind. The first floor was used specifically for entertaining and everything on the first floor shows off the wealth and taste of the inhabitants of the house and was never used by the inhabitants unless they had company. The second floor contains the bedrooms of the married couples and the unmarried women, so that the adults could keep an eye on the girls. There was a parlor that only the women used for sewing and gossip. The third floor was where the unmarried men stayed, they didn’t need to be supervised constantly and were better able to climb three flights of stairs since they weren’t wearing corsets. The house was designed to conform to the standards of upper-echelon Victorian society, the house is gothic, light and airy, most of the rooms are entirely symmetrical because that’s how the posh French people had their houses. The furniture is upholstered in red because that was Queen Victoria’s favorite color. In the Mallory-Neely house there are closets put in everywhere because they counted as rooms for tax purposes and the more rooms you had the higher the tax bracket you fitted into.
My favorite feature is one of the doors on the first floor and a bit of a neat surprise, so I don’t want to give away anything about it if you happen to tour the house, but I assure you, it’s really cool.
I can imagine life inside the house, but not in Victorian times, mostly because I would do a lot to not have to wear a corset…or a dress.
My absolute favorite part of the tour (besides the tour guide who was awesome!) was going up into the tower and looking out at the transepts.
I'm so glad you had a chance to tour the Fontaine house! It is incredibly beautiful, I know. But, I never realized how seldom it was occupied by families. Did you find it interesting how the architecture reinforced gender roles? I love the part about the males of the house occupying higher levels because they were better at climbing stairs. I suppose one would be in trousers! And, I don't think many of us who are comfortable working, voting, driving, and having our own money would have enjoyed living in the Victorian age, but it was certainly aesthetically pleasing.
DeleteI was fascinated by how the gender roles were reinforced by everything including the architecture. I’m always just sort of amazed that any woman could get anything done back then, even simple tasks with all those skirts and corsets. I mean, it’s no wonder they were able to withstand hunger strikes or like Emily Davison, were willing to step in front of a horse and get trampled in order to attain some level of freedom.
DeleteThis was my first time going to Victorian Village aside from just passing by. Though I have lived here all my life, I had never noticed until now how many old, historic buildings we have. The Mallory-Neely house was an eye opening experience. It was interesting to see a piece of history in our own humble Memphis. The architecture on Millionaires Row, itself, was breathtaking. The houses seem to make you crane your neck skyward to admire all their elaborate decorations. All the mansions seem to be frozen in time. It is fascinating to see how they lived around that era and what they considered to be fashionable. Every the over-the top-detail was amazing. I loved all the hidden meaning that everything seemed to have. From the stenciling to the furniture, there was always a hidden drawer or symbolic message to uncover. Another interesting is that even people of that caliber felt the need to appear more wealthy than they actually were. The leather wall prints were really just cunningly painted to look like leather, and most of the wood carvings were fake. The extravagance to which Daisy Neely and her family lived is sort of unfathomable to me. What is even more unbelievable is that not many Memphians even know that these incredible places exist. Victorian Village feels like you are walking in a totally forgotten part of history. I plan to make several more trips down there to explore further into some of the other houses. Taking this field trip really sparked my interest in Memphis history. It has made me see my hometown in a whole new light. It feels like I try to find historic building in other parts of town now too. From here on out I will be encouraging all my friends to go to Victorian Village. ( I am so glad you got us to go, I feel like I am learning really cool things about Memphis)
ReplyDeleteI absolutely live from your enthusiasm, Alex! It was a great day, and I think we really lucked out with our docent. The tour director handpicked him for us, so I thought that was a kind gesture on her part. I am so glad that your interest in Memphis is growing and that you are so excited to learn about all the history. Wait until you see Elmwood!
DeleteI thought the Mallory-Neely House was an interesting place to tour. It was the first time went to the Victorian Village. I was born and raised in Memphis, and I never had the slightest interest in going to there. When I got there, I did not even go in the house and I was already amazed by looking at the place. I saw pictures of the place, but it is nothing compared to the real thing in person. I was able to see and learn more of the history of the house than the pictures I saw online. I was fascinated on learning that the house had hidden secrets everywhere inside and outside of the house and how it became a museum. However, I was disappointed that we could not explore the entire house since it is still getting renovated. Not being able to see everything was probably the worst thing I can say about the tour. I would have love to see the window on the stair case that they were explaining to us. Even though we got to see a picture of the window, it is not the same as seeing it in person. I also did not like how in some rooms we were only allow to look in to, which is not a bad thing. They probably had artifacts in the rooms that were fragile, and the rooms might have been unsafe to walk in to as well. My favorite part of the tour was at the beginning with the front door. I was never a person for art, but I always thought stain glass windows were beautiful. I just love the colors it gives off when the sun passes light through it. It is also where one of many hidden secrets of the house is located. There is a tiny part of the door that is not stain glass but instead translucent. This one part of the door allows you to see in and out of the house. The tour guide was very informative. He told us everything there was to know (or at least everything he knew) about the house. And I speak for all of us when I say We are grateful for him taking our picture in front of my favorite part of the house.
ReplyDeleteIt was unfortunate that we arrived at a time when renovations were going on--I really would have loved for you all to have seen the stained glass window on the second floor landing! It was really spectacular the time I saw it. One thing that struck me while there was how dark the foyer was, and this is why: the window illuminated everything. I am very pleased you enjoyed the trip, and I hope you will investigate Victorian Village more often!
DeleteMallory –Neely Tour
DeleteTouring and learning about the people of the Mallory –Neely house and its history was exciting. Soon as you step onto the front porch, the stain glass in the front door window catches your eye with colors of the rainbow. The high decorated ceiling, archway and doors give a sense of wealth. I think wealth was displayed in the foyer, and the parlors; the first impression is the most important.
Earlier I was reading the display of information in the carriage house and while inside I thought of Annie the maid that lived with Daisy and took care of her. I thought how these two women must have become very good friends. I know the records states her as her caregiver, but you must know throughout the years and as the city change, the street change, and time change, they had a lot to discuss. It is not noted how many people were in the house after slavery, but records say they had up to seven slaves had lived there at one time. I image there was a ground keeper the tour guide stated that after Annie’s husband died she (Annie) stayed with Daisy.
I have one question to put out there. Why was so much unique architectural design in detail and craftsmanship put into the ceilings?
I was surprise to see the servants’ necessary (toilet) on the same floor as the masters. I would have expected more elaborate work in the master bathroom. I got the impression that even though the house was lived in, Daisy did not hold events or parties as she got up in age. Otherwise the house might have been kept in a good condition. Painting over the woodwork appears to me that the house (family) had become less important on the social register. I might be wrong, but this is just my opinion.
First of all, how cute was out tour guide? I think we lucked out with such a very animated and knowledgeable man. To be honest when pulling up to the house it did not seem very Victorian to me, but once stepping into the house the Victorian vibe went into overdrive. The mixture of all the furniture and figurine pieces from all over the world seemed a little tacky to me. However, I think in that time it was a way to show off wealth and worldliness. The stain glass windows and door stood out to me the most. The door was a statement piece that showed that the house and family was an important one. The door also showed that good times could be had in that home. There is no doubt that the Mallory-Neely house had rich families living there, not to mention strong women. As for it being a house I could live in, no way! I love my air-conditioning, electricity, hot shower, and toilet. Yes, I know the house was somewhat modernized when we toured it, but I am just thinking of living in it back in the day. Bedpans are not my thing. I thought the elevator was a neat feature of the home. The beds were also very beautiful. However, I really wish we could have seen the kitchen and service floor. I understand that it was impossible and not safe to see the servant floor (the third floor) but it would have been nice to get the full history of the home. All-in-all I enjoyed the tour, it was a nice outing. The Mallory-Neely tour is something I probably would not have done on my own time. So to get another bit of Memphis history under my belt was truly great.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed visiting the Mallory Neely house. My favourite parts of the house were the front door and the bed rooms upstairs. The front door caught my attention because it was unique. The design of the palm trees and water were very beautiful. The peek hole was really special; it was a translucent blue part of the glass picture. Looking from afar one wouldn’t even realized that was the peephole. Another cool fact about this door is that it creates rainbows! When we toured the house the rainbow appeared twice. According to the tour guide the rainbows are only created during the winter at a certain time. This door is amazing; when I get older I will have a door similar to this in my house. My favourite room upstairs was the first room to the right. There was a rolling cart that had a tea kettle and cup on it! It was adorable! Also there was a pair of giant scissors that weren’t scissors. According to our teacher; women back in the day wore corsets so tight that they couldn’t bend over to pick up a fallen handkerchief. So those scissors were a tool to help women pick up dropped items. I liked the overall design of the room; it was very elegant yet simple. I thought it was interesting that the Neely house had three different sources of light; electric, gas, and candle. Downstairs in the first room to the left, one will see all three methods of light in one spot. The Neely house had a chandelier with candle holders and on the ceiling there is a picture of a star with light bulbs at all of its points. I can’t quite remember what our tour guide said about the gas lighting but somehow the Neely’s had gas lighting as an option in that room as well. In general the Neely house is pretty cool!
ReplyDeleteThe very first feature of the Mallory-Neely house that caught my attention was the asymmetrical design of the house. The structure of the house was almost the same; however there were differences on each half. On the first level, there was a wraparound porch on one half with three windows, the second half did not have a wraparound porch and had only two windows. Moving up to the second level, the décor around the windows on each half was different. One half had a tall covering; the other half had a short covering. Continuing to the third and final level, one half had two shorter windows. The other half had one long window. On the tower that seemed to reconcile the two halves, the first set of windows was different from the second set of windows, which was yet again distinct to the third set of windows. At this point, the Mallory-Neely house had my full attention. Before stepping foot into this mysterious masterpiece, I was given a brief overview of the history of the owners. Mr. Neely was only the third owner to live in the house, with his daughter Daisy who married Mr. Mallory being the fourth owner. Over the course of his time living there, Mr. Neely made several major changes to the inside and outside of the house since the Kirkland’s and the Babbs lived there. He added the third floor and the two top tiers of the tower. Once inside, it was evident that the owners were very proud of their treasures as they went to great lengths to show them off to their guests. For example, the statue in the archway of the grand parlor was placed onto a stand that was erected from the basement. Their furniture was deliberately placed to give an aura of wealth and power. The social lives of the Mallory’s and the Neely’s was filled with dinner parties and celebrations. They only visited with their guests on the first level, so all their rich tapestries and paintings were hanging on the first level walls. However, the family life seemed as though it would be rocky to raise a family in that time period. The husbands and wives did not sleep in the same room, children did not eat at the same table as their parents until they went to school to learn etiquette, and the husbands would have their own social circle and the women would have their own social circle. The Victorian Era, as beautiful as it was, was an era of segregation and pompous. However, it is absolutely fascinating to have the privilege of walking in such a magnificent house and image of what it would have been like to grow up in a house such as that.
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