Stuart, 323: Manly Davidson - John McKee House

Location: 319 (now 323) Stuart Avenue, Kalamazoo
Survey ID: R-30
Designation: Manly Davidson — John McKee House
Date: 1867
Style: French Mansard

The following material is from the 1973 Initial Inventory of Historic Sites and Buildings in Kalamazoo and was made available for use here by the Historic Preservation Coordinator of the City of Kalamazoo. See Introduction to an Initial Inventory for details about how the survey was conducted.

Young Manly Davidson established himself as a builder in Kalamazoo’s Civil War Years. In 1867, he began to construct the solid home which now stands at 319 Stuart. Davidson chose the most fashionable “contemporary” style of the day–the “Mansard” architecture of the French Renaissance. The major sign of this new post-war fashion was, of course, the concave “Mansard” roofline. Davidson added further touches with his treatment of the dormer windows. He sold the house on completion to a purchaser who faulted on his payments; in 1871, the Circuit Court awarded the home to Davidson again. He sold it a year later to successful furniture dealer, John McKee, whose family occupied it for the rest of the century.

John McKee had come to this country from Ireland and entered into the furniture business in Kalamazoo about 1862. Twenty years later, the Gazette put his three stories of “fancy and plain” goods at 45 North Burdick at the head of competition in the region. “He makes a specialty of fine furniture and fancy chairs,” said the Gazette, adding, “his display in this line embraces all the latest and most handsome and elegant styles”. McKee and his wife shared their home in the 1880’s with a son and four growing daughters. In more than one social season, the Gazette recorded social affairs hosted by McKee or his several “McKee girls”.

Maps:

1873 – J. McKee

Kalamazoo County Tax Records:

Kalamazoo County Deeds Office:

Kalamazoo City Directory:

John McKee is furniture dealer

U.S. Population Census Rolls:

This report was converted from a typewritten document to a digital text document in September 2004. Other than punctuation and spelling corrections, and the addition of BOLD type site address and names, no changes were made. Minor formatting changes were made for use on this website, but the text was not altered. Original survey dated 1973.