History
Built in 1867, the house is an exquisite example of fine Italianate
architecture. Rumors and mysteries abound about the Captain Merry and
the man who built it, Charles Hamilton Merry. Local legend tells tales
of connections to Abraham Lincoln and Al Capone. The present owners are
still trying to uncover the truths behind the rumors, but this is what
they do know: Charles Merry owned a ferry service on the Mississippi
between Dunleith, Illinois (now East Dubuque), and Dubuque. He also
operated as an agent for the railroad that terminated in Dunleith from
Chicago. Effectively, all the goods shipped to the western states out
of Chicago had to pass through Merry’s hands. Research has become a
community-based project involving the owners, the East Dubuque Living
History Committee, the Galena/Jo Daviess County History Museum, and
local residents.
The house sits atop a
hill on U.S. 20, at the base of the Julien Dubuque Bridge, as a
prominent symbol of status. It was designed for the purpose of greeting
guests and
hosting parties, as the Captain retained high social ranking. And
although income from Merry’s ferry service would have made him a wealthy
man, he may have supported his lifestyle with a little clandestine
smuggling! This would possibly explain the unusual
stone tunnel under the house.
With the building of bridges came the apparent financial demise of Mr.
Merry. Although he was involved in several innovative schemes to move
goods down the Mississppi to the East Coast, bypassing the railroads, he
left the area in straitened circumstances. There is no record of Merry
family in this area after the Census of 1880. He is said to have
traveled relentlessly and spent much time with his five adult children
in St. Louis, Washington State, Mississippi, and Texas in his twilight
years.
The last trail we have of him
is residence in Yazoo, Mississippi in late 1889, the same year his wife,
Sarah, died in the house. We have no record of where he is buried.
Sarah left the house to her daughter, Mary, who never returned to the
house and relinquished it in 1902.
Since the departure of the Merrys, the grand Italianate structure has
been everything from an antique shop, a five-unit apartment complex, and
a hippie commune. Local lore also mentions a seamier side: a house of
ill-repute, a gambling den, and a jail. For many years, the Merry
Building, as it was called, was uninhabited and left to the elements and
squatters, who burnt balusters for firewood in the attic. An initial
restoration by Joe and Maddie Schlarman in 1984 saved the structure from
demolition, and now the Captain Merry stands tall once again as a
premier inn, a cutting edge spa/salon and intimate event center.
Merry Expansion
Opened in the summer of 2005, the full service Merry spa and salon
brings a completely new level to the tri-state are for relaxation and
stress relief. The fully renovated 1850’s Federal-style structure is
divided into an exuberant upper level salon that addresses every hair
and aesthetic need. Services include manicures, pedicures (including a
private two-chair pedicure room), hair shaping and coloring, hair
extensions, facials, and waxing. The restful lower level is devoted to
spa functions. The journey to a stress-free experience begins in the
Relaxation Room populated with comfy massage chairs and fireplace where
clients are offered their choice of complimentary beverage. Since the
Captain Merry has the advantage of having a liquor license, guests may
sip on mimosas or bloody merrys as easily as water, soda, coffee or tea
prior to their spa treatment. Five sumptuous treatment rooms allowed for
a variety of options: massage, hot stone, hydrotherapy, reflexology,
wraps, scrubs, Vichy treatments, raindrop therapy, Shirodara, and Reiki,
to name a few.
The construction work also included the building of a new Main Lobby to
connect the two historic structures. The new blends seamlessly with the
old because every effort was made to use historic materials such as
antique light fixtures, historically appropriate wood windows, vintage
doors and historic fireplace fronts, as well as natural materials such
as wood and slate flooring. Golombeski was inspired by an 1871 engraving
that showed the two structures tied together by a shed-like building,
the brick foundation of which she found during excavations.
“The connection building also houses much needed storage and coat rooms,
bathrooms, and a meeting room for 30+ that enjoys a view to the
courtyard through a historic bottle-glass, prismed and beveled, double
door.
“Both buildings have such a sense of history and personality that I
wanted the renovations to reflect that” claims Golombeski. “We tried to
think of what Captain Merry would have done if he had today’s options,”
adds Johnson.
The Salon and Spa are open Tuesday through Saturday and Sunday and
Monday by appointment. The facility is available any day for private
parties for lunches, teas, or dinners by arrangement. Rooms are
available nightly. Contact us at 815.747.3644 or toll free at
877.797.3644.
