John T. and Lillian Heard House

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 24, 2025

1. John T. and Lillian Heard House Marker

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From the National Register Nomination prepared by Rhonda Chalfant, Ph.D., 11/30/2010:
A two-story, buff brick. Classical Revival house with “eclectic Italian Renaissance” accents. The house sits on a raised basement and has a large, unfinished attic under a hipped roof. The roof line is marked by several dormers in a variety of sizes and styles. The primary facade has a partial width porch with square brick and Classical wood columns. Additional significant features include a round-arched Venetian-stained glass window above the porte cochere on the side elevation. The contributing carriage house sits to the north and west of the house. The lot is surrounded on three sides by an iron fence that is considered a contributing structure. Built in 1906 as the residence of Senator and

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 24, 2025

2. John T. and Lillian Heard House Marker

The marker is mounted on the right side of the front/south entrance.

Mrs. John Heard, the house and its furnishings were given by Mrs. Heard in 1935 to the Sorosis Club and the Helen G. Steele Music Clubs. The interior is furnished with Mrs. Heard's furniture and artwork. The house looks much as it did at the time of construction and later donation for use by the clubs.

The Heard house appears, in many ways, to be “frozen in time,” a reflection of the life of a well-to-do family during the early years of the turn of the century. That the house, which is used regularly, still maintains its original appearance is a tribute to the clubwomen who preserve it.

Excerpt:  Historic home and clubhouse built as the residence of Senator and Mrs. John T. Heard, later given by Mrs. Heard in 1935 to the Sorosis Club and the Helen G. Steele Music Clubs.

(By CJ Coombs)  Excerpt:  The historic John T. and Lillian Heard House, also known as the Heard Memorial Club House, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 15, 2011.
In 1906, the house was built for Lillie by Heard.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 24, 2025

3. John T. and Lillian Heard House (south/front elevation)

From the National Register Nomination:  The front facade features a partial width porch with brick columns at either corner and unfluted columns with Roman Ionic capitals on either side of the brick columns. The house sits on a raised basement, and the front porch is high, reached by steep steps. Across the architrave are the words “Heard Memorial Club House”. The first story is asymmetrically arranged with an offset front door opening onto a shallow vestibule. The door is oak with beveled glass above wooden panels and is flanked by sidelights and transoms. The roof has wide overhanging eaves with exposed decorative cut rafter tails. The roof was originally red tile and had finials at the peaks, but this roof was replaced with asphalt shingles after 1985.

It's unknown who designed the home. The house was built as a luxurious residence. U. S. Senator and Mrs. John T. Heard were members of Sedalia’s upper-middle-class social and political power structure. Senator Heard was a prominent attorney from Sedalia. He served in the Missouri General Assembly and the United States Congress.
The Heards liked to entertain guests. Lillie made a perfect hostess. John Heard was “more interested in preserving social distinctions,” meaning that he seemed to separate himself from others who weren't part of a certain class and gave himself upper-class value.
John Thaddeus Heard died on January 27, 1927, at age 86. Lillie Copeland Heard died on July 14, 1934, at age 71. The Sorosis and Helen G. Steele Music Clubs that received the house were formed in the late 1800s. The Sorosis Club in Sedalia is one of the few remaining and still active.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 24, 2025

4. John T. and Lillian Heard House (northeast elevation)

From the National Register Nomination:  The east facade reveals the alignment of the three rectangles that make up the footprint of the house. The house originally had a porch on the south end. This porch was badly damaged by a windstorm in 1948, and although it was repaired, by 1956 the porch had deteriorated so badly that it was removed. The projecting center bay has a three paneled bay window marking the original dining room. The north (service) wing houses the kitchen. A hipped roof porch with square columns shelters the kitchen entrance. The attic of the east facade has one hipped roof dormer and a small segmental arched dormer.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 24, 2025

5. John T. and Lillian Heard House (north elevation)

The service wing is on the left/east side and the carriage house is on the right/west side.
From the National Register Nomination:  The north elevation shows the narrowness of the service wing and contains only one window per floor and two large basement windows. The drive-through carriage house features double doors on the east side of the south and north facades. The west side of the carriage house was originally the stable area. Above the carriage house is a hay loft. The carriage house is considered a contributing building.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 24, 2025

6. John T. and Lillian Heard House (southwest elevation)

From the National Register Nomination:  The west facade has a porte cochere with low pitched roof supported by square brick posts. An entry to the side of the house opens from the porte cochere into an entry hall with stained glass windows. Above the porte cochere is a round arched, Venetian glass window that opens onto the stair landing between the first and second floors of the house. The attic of the west facade has a hipped roof dormer and a small segmental arched dormer. The carriage house is located at the left/northwest corner of the property.