Downtown Springfield in Greene County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Keet-McElhany House
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 6, 2025
1. Keet-McElhany House Marker
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1881.
Location. 37° 12.422′ N, 93° 17.318′ W. Marker is in Springfield, Missouri, in Greene County. It is in Downtown Springfield. It is at the intersection of East Walnut Street and South Benton Avenue, on the left when traveling east on East Walnut Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 435 E Walnut St, Springfield MO 65806, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American Ozarks, in the Lewis & Clark Corridor, and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Antebellum South.
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: St. Paul United Methodist Church (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); First Post Office in Springfield (about 400 feet away); Jewell Theater (about 600 feet away); The Landers Theatre (about 700 feet away); The Colonial Hotel (about 800 feet away); 221 East Walnut Street (approx. 0.2 miles away); John T. Woodruff (approx. 0.2 miles away); Wilshire Apartments (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Springfield.
Regarding Keet-McElhany House. Excerpts from the National Register nomination:
The house was constructed in 1881 as a fairly typical 2 story, T-shaped Italianate house with a shallow hipped roof and a small 2-story service wing at the rear (north end). The house was sold to James E. Keet in 1883. Mr. Keet enlarged the house in 1886, adding the turreted one- story wing to the west and adding a brick service building of 1½ stories with basement about 10 feet beyond the service wing. He further remodeled the house prior to his death in 1900 by raising the brick wall and adding a third floor undera multi-gabled and hipped Queen Ann[e] roof.Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 7, 20252. Keet-McElhany House Marker
The Keet-McElahny House has been the house of a prominent Springfield family for over 100 years. The Keet, the McElahny and the Holland families were all important merchants and bankers in early Springfield history. The Holland Banking Company was founded by C.B. Holland, the uncle of Katherine Holland who married James E. Keet. Josiah T. Keet, James E.'s father, was a partner in the Keet-Roundtree Dry Goods Company. James E. Keet was vice president of the Springfield Grocery Company, president of the Springfield Guarantee Abstract Company, president of the Greene County National Bank and the National Exchange Bank, secretary-treasurer of the Keet-Roundtree Shoe Company and a director of that Springfield company. His daughter married Claude McElhany, who was the grandson of Robert J. McElahny, a merchant and banker in Springfield prior to the Civil War.
Also see . . . Keet-McElhany House (PDF). National Register nomination for the property, which was listed in 1984. (Prepared by Patrick H. Steele. Sr. and David Denman, Missouri Heritage Trust; via Missouri State Parks) (Submitted on May 1, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 7, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 1, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 206 times since then and 53 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 1, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
