Ever heard of Mumford Mansion?
“Not many people have,” said Neil Schultz, president of McMinnville Heritage Preservation. “Today, people refer to it as the Franklin P. Blue Building, or just the Blue Building. It was built as a showcase in McMinnville about 150 years ago by John Pickett for his brother, James.”
The home was constructed between 1869 and 1871 on 5 acres. James lost his fortune in the Civil War and “Pickett Place” was sold during a bankruptcy sale in 1873. Purchased by Col. Mumford, the home was renovated and ash shade trees planted.
Pickett Place was renamed Mumford Mansion. It was the first home in Warren County to have a bathroom with running water. The property was considered gracious Southern living and included a tennis court and flower gardens.
Mumford died in 1887 and was buried at Riverside Cemetery. His wife lived in the mansion until 1898. When she passed, the home was then deeded to Blanche Lewis. When Lewis passed in 1902, the house was inherited by her nephew Edward Campbell and nieces Totsie and Eugenia Campbell.
The Board of Education purchased the property in 1915. Extensive renovations were made and classes began January 1916. In 1928, County Central High School was constructed. High school classes were moved to the new building. In 1938, a west wing was added.
In 1977, the school was converted into McMinnville City Hall. Government offices began to move from the Blue Building in 2007. By November 2009, the last office was relocated – that being McMinnville Police Department.
The fate of the building is again under consideration. City officials have tentatively approved accepting requests for proposals (RFP). RFPs are an open-ended form of solicitation. In this case, the city is soliciting ideas for future development. Written proposals will be accepted and considered, as well as what that person, company or organization is willing to pay for the property.
“I think it’s very important for people to remember the historic nature of that building,” said Schultz, who provided the history of the property generated by Warren County’s first official historian, James Dillon.
Vacant for almost 12 years, several discussions have been held on its fate. In 2014, city officials discussed demolition or renovation. Schultz attended those meetings and urged preservation.
“This building is a place where thousands of our citizens were educated,” said Schultz in 2014. “That means a lot to us in that it has a historical value. I believe the Blue Building is one of our few points of pride that we have here in McMinnville. It’s about 140 years old at the base. The community would like to invest in the city. There is more than public sentiment. There is public dollars that could go into its renovation.”
