The adaptable Murray building was a residence and a place of business in downtown Naperville.
The Murray Building looks like a house. Several Naperville families called it home from the 1840s through the 1960s. Local residents also rented the Murray Building as a commercial space in downtown Naperville. Murray Building business tenants included a barber and a tailor. For over forty years, the building was a law office for Naperville attorneys, including Merritt S. Hobson. A social organization called the Limited Club occupied the building during Prohibition.
The Murray Building earned its nickname in the community from two of its early owners, John Murray and his son, Robert Murray. But the house changed hands several times over its long history. Building owners rearranged doors, windows and other architectural features. They even relocated the Murray Building to a different address in downtown Naperville, from Main Street to Fremont Street. The Murray Building made its final move to the grounds of Naper Settlement in 1971.
The Murray Building was constructed circa 1842 in the Greek Revival style of architecture, which was popular for both residences and commercial buildings from 1820 to 1850.
