Hanley House, Clayton, Missouri

The oldest structure in Clayton, first ground was broken on the Hanley House at high noon on May 16, 1855. The Hanley family (headed by Martin and Cyrene Hanley) were an illustrious group, with ancestors hailing from Virginia, the farmhouse house has stood at 7600 Westmoreland Avenue since its completion in 1857. The house stood through the fall of Martin’s blacksmith business, the Civil War, Emancipation, the Industrial Revolution and both World Wars in nearly pristine condition.

The house was kept and maintained by members of the Hanley family for generations (nearly 113 years), until it was eventually sold and restored by the City of Clayton between 1968 and 1970. It was opened to the public as a museum in 1971, and now hosts tours and a stark look at life in the late 1800s, as told through letters and records of the family's own words.

Hanley House is open to the public Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4:00 pm. For more information, call 314-290-8553.