Take a Tour Of the Oliver–Leming House

Whether you’ve lived in Cape Girardeau your whole life or even just a few years, chances are, you have fallen in love with the beauty, culture and history of Southeast Missouri. To some, it’s a small town. To others, it’s big. Regardless of size, the community continues to thrive, expand and develop. But even as it does, there seems to be a mutual respect for the past, the people and the places that were established before us and a desire to preserve history for future generations.

In Cape Girardeau County, there are more than 50 properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of their rich ties to the development of the town. The Oliver-Leming House, also known as “The Flag House,” joined that list on September 12, 1980. While ownership of the home has changed throughout the years, the need to care for it and remain authentic to its history has not.

Built in 1895 by J.B. Legg, an architect from St. Louis, the home was owned by the late State Senator, R.B. Oliver, and his wife, Marie Watkins-Oliver, who occupied the home for the next 45 years. During their residency, it was Marie Watkins-Oliver who designed and created the Missouri state flag, making the home an important historical landmark for Missouri. The large front columns in front of the house were added around 1915, in order for the “Home of the State Flag” to have a much grander entrance.

After the death of Mrs. Oliver in 1994, the house was sold to lumberman M.E. Leming Jr. who lived there with his wife and children. The Leming family occupied the home for the next 45 years, until it was purchased by Drs. Bert and Mary Ann Kellerman in November 2002.

Mary Ann and Bert Kellerman pose for a photo in the music room of their home, the Oliver-Leming House.Photo by Aaron Eisenhauer

Both professors, Dr. Bert Kellerman worked in the College of Business and served as chair of the marketing department, while Dr. Mary Ann Kellerman developed the interior design program at Southeast Missouri State University. For the next 10 years, the home remained untouched, but big plans for restoration were in the works.

While no furnishings came with the house, the Kellermans had access to the original blueprints and two copies of the typed specifications and have followed them during the restoration of the home. The mortar mix, roof color and even the light cream bathtub have been replicated.

Using photographs, baby photo albums and Mary Ann’s own experience with teaching the history of architecture, the Kellermans determined the style and layout needed for the home. They also gained a wealth of knowledge from speaking with members of the Oliver family throughout the years, who knew what the home looked like during the time of the Oliver residence.

“What you see is very close to the way it was in 1895,” Kellerman says. “We have pictures of [the Olivers] at the dining room table, and it looks just like this.”

The Oliver-Leming House was designed by architect J.B. Legg, who also designed Academic Hall on the Southeast Missouri State University campus.Photo by Aaron Eisenhauer

Inside the home, the wood is mostly cypress, with some oak scattered throughout. All the flooring, tile, mantels, millwork, fireplaces, doorknobs and locks are original. The claw-foot bathtub on the upper floor (which the Kellermans still use today), the stained glass windows on the stairs and even a family height chart remains intact on the wall, a tribute to the years the Leming family spent in the home.

Artwork, furniture, lighting and décor were collected throughout 10 years from a variety of locations, including St. Louis; Memphis, Tenn.; and Europe. According to Mary Ann, “There’s a story to every piece.” A painting of Marie Watkins-Oliver at the age of 17 hangs in the back parlor. The music room still resides in the front of the house. Beloved treasures and trinkets are scattered among every room.

A portrait of Marie Watkins-Oliver at age 17 hangs in the dining room of the Oliver-Leming House.Photo by Aaron Eisenhauer

While updates and renovations have been made to the home throughout the years, all of the previous owners, including the Kellermans — who have lived at the residence on and off since 2014 — have stayed true to their commitment to remain pure to the original design.

“There’s something special about these old houses,” says Bert, who grew up in an old farm house in Illinois. “I can appreciate it.”

Bert admits getting older has given him a deeper love of history and the desire to preserve it. The Oliver-Leming House is his favorite of the properties they own, and now that both he and his wife are retired, they are even more focused on pouring into the community so the legacy and history live on.

The Kellerman Foundation, which the Kellermans founded in 2012, has been instrumental to the success of their restoration projects. And while the Oliver-Leming house is not currently part of the Foundation, it will eventually become a house museum. For right now, the Kellermans are working to create a permanent Oliver collection, as well as a Charles Rhinehart museum, which will be associated with the Clark Kellerman House in downtown Cape. The Clark Kellerman House, also known as “The Fountain House,” a 19th Century home built by George Boardman Clark, a Major in the Confederate Army. It was the first historic building Bert and Mary Ann purchased together, back in 1971. This June, they will celebrate 50 years of owning this property, which began their journey and commitment toward historical preservation.

Chandeliers hang throughout the lower level of the Oliver-Leming House.Photo by Aaron Eisenhauer

Mary Ann is passionate about telling the story of Marie Watkins-Oliver, who, according to Kellerman, “had to be tough” to have designed and created the state flag during a time when women had very few rights. Of course, all of this takes time, resources and community support, both of which the Kellermans have felt very fortunate to be a part of for so many years.

“The town really helped us,” Mary Ann says. “Kindness and good friends.”

It was true back then and remains true today. Southeast Missouri is a community that rallies and supports their people. Preserving history is possible because of those who believe in it. And while it’s important to look back and remember our past, stories like these help us know we can also look forward and hope for our future.