The Gray/Campbell Farmstead is one of the oldest surviving houses in Springfield, MO, circa 1856. The House was built by James Price Gray and was later sold to his brother-in law, John Polk Campbell, nephew and name-sake of the founder of the city of Springfield. The house was occupied by the Campbell family from 1856 to the 1950's and was moved to the Nathanael Greene Park in 1984 when the Kansas James River Expressway was constructed.
This 2-room house was constructed from pine timbers, with 2 front doors and a back door for maximum ventilation. This house was quite exquisite for its time and location on the great frontier. You will see some Greek revival features such as the fireplace mantle columns, broad roof lines, long panels on doors and the nine over six pane windows.
The house is divided into two rooms, one for living and the other for sleeping. The living area is where the family spent most of their time; where they ate their meals, mended clothing, and studied. The sleeping area was for all family members and you will see several beds, examples of clothing and furnishings. The rope beds that required regular tightening were used by adults and the trundle beds tucked under the larger beds were used by the children.