History of the Neely House
Formerly known as the Murphy Hotel
Historical Neely HouseThe Murphy Hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 11, 1993 as an example of a railroad hotel and an example of a Neo-Classical architectural style. The hotel remains intact and substantially unaltered today from its original appearance. The hotel was constructed in 1911 directly across the street from the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis (NC&STL) Passenger Depot. Although originally built as the Neely Hotel, the building had been continually owned by the Murphy family and operated as the Murphy Hotel since 1946.
South Royal Street was a major thoroughfare of the city in the late 19th century. Just north of the railroad right-of-way a hotel was in operation as early as 1900. A two-story frame dwelling was located here in 1900 which was operated by Franklin B. Neely and known as the “Neely House”. In 1907, the NC and STL constructed a new brick passenger depot on the east side of South Royal Street. In response to the increased business generated by the depot, the Neely family constructed a new brick hotel building sometime soon after. The Sunday magazine supplement of “The Jackson Daily Sun” dated 1912 contains a photograph of the building which describes it as the “new modern hotel building”. The hotel was described as “Modern in every detail, with hot and cold running water in every room”.
The hotel was built in the Neo-Classical style with a large two-story portico on the main façade. This portico was built with fluted columns and lonic capitals. The interior was design with twenty-two (22) hotel rooms, nine (9) fireplaces, and three (3) bathrooms on each floor. The hotel catered to salesmen and travelers who arrived in Jackson at the adjacent depot. Tradition states that Mr. Neely would meet trains at 4:0 a.m. to hand out coffee and sandwiches to promote the hotel. The hotel was operated by the Neely family for the next thirty (30) years and became one of Jackson’s best know hotel buildings.
In 1946 Mr. Lillie Neely sold the hotel for $5,000 to Mr. Robert Murphy. Murphy was an area farmer and purchased the hotel as a business investment. During the 1950’s and 1960’s passenger rail travel along the railroad declined and hotel relied less and less on rail travelers for business. Although Murphy died in 1960, his two (2) daughters continued to operate the hotel. The adjacent depot was closed to rail traffic in 1985, but the hotel remained open to both travelers and permanent residents.
The Murphy Hotel is Jackson’s only remaining example of a railroad hotel. The Hotel still features its original doors, mantles, light fixtures, bathroom fixtures and similar details. In 2005 the building was acquired by Hal Crocker of Crocker Construction Co.. Mr. Crocker has worked closely with the Tennessee Historic Commission to restore the Neely House to its original beauty.
South Royal Street was a major thoroughfare of the city in the late 19th century. Just north of the railroad right-of-way a hotel was in operation as early as 1900. A two-story frame dwelling was located here in 1900 which was operated by Franklin B. Neely and known as the “Neely House”. In 1907, the NC and STL constructed a new brick passenger depot on the east side of South Royal Street. In response to the increased business generated by the depot, the Neely family constructed a new brick hotel building sometime soon after. The Sunday magazine supplement of “The Jackson Daily Sun” dated 1912 contains a photograph of the building which describes it as the “new modern hotel building”. The hotel was described as “Modern in every detail, with hot and cold running water in every room”.
The hotel was built in the Neo-Classical style with a large two-story portico on the main façade. This portico was built with fluted columns and lonic capitals. The interior was design with twenty-two (22) hotel rooms, nine (9) fireplaces, and three (3) bathrooms on each floor. The hotel catered to salesmen and travelers who arrived in Jackson at the adjacent depot. Tradition states that Mr. Neely would meet trains at 4:0 a.m. to hand out coffee and sandwiches to promote the hotel. The hotel was operated by the Neely family for the next thirty (30) years and became one of Jackson’s best know hotel buildings.
In 1946 Mr. Lillie Neely sold the hotel for $5,000 to Mr. Robert Murphy. Murphy was an area farmer and purchased the hotel as a business investment. During the 1950’s and 1960’s passenger rail travel along the railroad declined and hotel relied less and less on rail travelers for business. Although Murphy died in 1960, his two (2) daughters continued to operate the hotel. The adjacent depot was closed to rail traffic in 1985, but the hotel remained open to both travelers and permanent residents.
The Murphy Hotel is Jackson’s only remaining example of a railroad hotel. The Hotel still features its original doors, mantles, light fixtures, bathroom fixtures and similar details. In 2005 the building was acquired by Hal Crocker of Crocker Construction Co.. Mr. Crocker has worked closely with the Tennessee Historic Commission to restore the Neely House to its original beauty.