1111 E. 19th Street

ROBERT H MILLER HOUSE

It’s a fact: historic structures have longer lives than the humans who occupy them. It’s one reason why we often hear owners of historic properties refer to themselves as caretakers. This is certainly the case with longtime LPA members Dennis and Judy Dailey, who have wrapped up 38 years of ownership of the Robert H. Miller House (1858) at 1111 E. 19th Street, just east of Haskell Avenue. But Dennis and Judy may not have realized this in 1984 when, while searching for a house closer to the KU campus, they happened to see a tiny homemade “for sale” sign in the yard as they passed by.

Having both experienced farm (Judy) and small town (Dennis) life growing up in Minnesota, the Daileys were beckoned by the stately Colonial Foursquare on five urban acres as they first turned into the drive. “This is it!” Judy remembers thinking as they knocked on the door. Minutes later they were talking with owner Dorothy Eller, who had just had the property listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was asking them questions that seemed designed to determine if they could be appropriate owners of the house.

DENNIS & JUDY DAILEY

Discovering the property’s connection to the Underground Railroad early on (the Millers had been very successful farmers in South Carolina but moved from the state because of their anti-slavery views) and its significance to Quantrill’s Raid (Quantrill visited the house on his way into town but spared it) the Daileys were determined to learn as much as they could about the Millers. Spencer Research Library proved to be a great start, but when they connected with Miller’s great-great-granddaughter, Carol Manley, and met with her in Des Moines, they found a treasure trove of family photo albums and files that filled in the blanks. In fact, Dennis has written about this history in Dennis Domer’s book Embattled Lawrence Vol. 2, soon to be available to the public.

All the while, there was still this house and small farm to run and family life to live. Dennis remembers taking a couple dozen round hay bales every year from the south pasture. The Daileys rebuilt the cupola on the barn (1910 and listed on the National Register), and even found an appropriate motor and fan for the windmill. The big project came in 2006: rebuilding a failed brick wall system on the west wall and making other structural repairs. State tax credits and a Kansas Heritage Trust Fund grant helped defray considerable expense as the Daileys lived for a year in a construction zone.

MILLER BARN

When a teacher friend asked if they could bring their class out on a field trip, Dennis showed the students around, sharing with them the rich history and purpose of each outbuilding. A tradition was born: two or three classes each year, typically third graders, coming out by bus to visit and learn. Students most enjoyed trying to wrap their heads around the idea of the hand-dug well and the outhouse.

A few years ago, the interior stairs and outdoor chores began to hint to Dennis and Judy that their time of caretaking this historic property was coming to an end. Longtime collectors, they had been working with a trusted family friend to find new owners for some of those precious belongings. The Daileys approached their friend about the property itself and suggested a purchase price that was accepted. This friend, as an interim owner, is now entrusted with finding the next owner who will cherish the history, commit to continued agricultural use of the pasture, and care for the house and outbuildings. It’s preservation in progress.

While the Daileys now live in an apartment on the west side of town, their thoughts are never far from the Miller place. But someone else will have to be the next person to respond to a knock on the door to see a stranger, car parked behind, saying hello and—true story—asking, “What time is the museum open?”

Thanks for a great run, Dennis and Judy!