Joseph Spalding House— A Legacy of Hospitality

Built in the 1840s by Joseph Spalding, a Marion County farmer and miller, this grand antebellum home on Springfield Highway stands as a remarkable example of 19th-century craftsmanship. Spalding, a nephew of Archbishop Martin John Spalding and Benedict Spalding (builder of Myrtledene), spared no expense in its construction, ensuring both beauty and durability.

The home is built of solid brick, with walls thick enough to withstand the test of time. Inside, its spacious double parlors and wide central hall boast soaring 14-foot ceilings, while massive 10-foot-tall doors and finely crafted ornamental cornices showcase the meticulous attention to detail. A graceful cherry staircase, framed by an arched entryway, winds upward to the second floor, where the same sturdy materials continue. Prismatic crystal chandeliers once cast a warm glow throughout the hall and parlors, their light reflected in floor-to-ceiling mirrors that created an almost ethereal effect.

Designed not just for family but for hospitality, the home was known for its welcoming atmosphere. It is said that a cottage on the property was kept for any passerby in need of shelter for the night. Over the years, the house passed through several prominent families, including the Estes and Lankfords, before the Willards purchased it in 1933.

Today, this extraordinary home faces an uncertain future. Several windows are broken, and fallen gutters could threaten the integrity of the structure, though the roof appears stable for now. Its solid construction has helped it endure for nearly two centuries, but preservation efforts are needed to ensure it stands for generations to come.