Midtown in Springfield in Greene County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Bentley House

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 6, 2025

1. Bentley House Marker

Inscription. J.F.G. Bentley, Springfield banker, built this 18 room home in 1892. W.F. Hackney, architect, was designer. Bentley family members occupied the home until the death of Mrs. Georgia Moist Bentley, widow of Frank C., son of the builder. It was purchased by Drury College in 1965.

Erected 1976 by Springfield Historical Sites Board • City-County Bicentennial Committee.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1892.

Location. 37° 13.34′ N, 93° 17.11′ W. Marker is in Springfield, Missouri, in Greene County. It is in Midtown. It is at the intersection of East Calhoun Street and North Washington Avenue, on the left when traveling east on East Calhoun Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 603 E Calhoun St, Springfield MO 65802, 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,

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

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.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Indian Mounds (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Fairbanks Hall (approx. 0.2 miles away); Tau Eta Gamma (local) (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Fairbanks Hall (approx. ¼ mile away); Civil War Entrenchments (approx. ¼ mile away); Stone Chapel (approx. 0.3 miles away); Benton Avenue A.M.E. Church (approx. 0.4 miles away); Silver Springs Park (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Springfield.

Regarding Bentley House. Besides The Bank of Springfield, Jewett Franklin George Bentley (1838-1912) also was an officer in the Metropolitan Street Railway and the National Loan and Investment Association of Springfield. He also was a benefactor of Drury, which used the house as a student dormitory and special-events venue after purchasing it. In 1977 the college leased, and

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, April 7, 2025

2. Bentley House Marker

later sold, the house to the Museum of the Ozarks. The museum sold the house in 1993, and it now is a private residence.

Also see . . .
1. Bentley House (PDF). National Register of Historic Places nomination for the property, which was listed in 1980. (Prepared by Mary Newland Clary and James M. Denny; via Missouri State Parks) (Submitted on May 3, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Tracing the Bentley Legacy. The Bentleys represent one of the types of people who migrated to Southwest Missouri following the Civil War. Like many others, they sought prosperity and a new start in an area fairly remote from their original homes. (Julie Hammond March, OzarksWatch, Southwest Missouri State University, Spring 1992; via Springfield-Greene County Library District) (Submitted on May 3, 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 3, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 555 times since then and 66 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 3, 2025, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.