As the last Victorian era home on East Kearsley Street, Whaley House Museum is one of Flint's last visible links to its 19th Century heritage. Since the home was constructed it has witnessed the City of Flint's evolution from a small lumbering town to one of the world's leading industrial centers to its present incarnation as a regional leader in higher education.
From 1885 to 1925 Whaley House Museum was the residence of Robert and Mary McFarlan Whaley. Other family members that lived in the house included Florence, Robert and Mary's only daughter; Robert Whaley Orrell, Florence's son and the Whaleys' only grandchild; and Laura, Robert Whaley's half-sister. Over the years the various domestics and coachmen that made life comfortable for the Whaleys lived here as well.
Robert and Mary were very prominent in their community. For over forty years, Robert was the president of Citizens Bank. During his tenure, he issued a $2,000 loan to William C. Durant and J. Dallas Dort that eventually led to the creation of General Motors. As a member of one of Flint's founding families, Mary was active in a number of civic organizations in addition to her duties of running a household.
Today, the Whaleys are remembered for their generosity. Robert established the Whaley Children's Center and Mary founded the McFarlan Home for Women. She also donated numerous acres of land to the city for the creation of parks and paid for the construction of the Five Sisters Chapel at St. Paul's Episcopal Church.
But that is just part of their story . . .
