Historic Nelly Don Mansion Is For Sale – My Pick of The Week

About Nelly Don

Any local historian or fashionista worth his or her salt will have heard of Nell Donnelly Reed, commonly known as Nelly Don. Nelly Don was the owner of a successful multi-million dollar dress manufacturing company in the early-to-mid 20th century. The Donnelly Garment Company was known for its stylish, affordable dresses and it blazed the trail in the area of employee benefits. She was married to prominent Kansas City politician and leader, James A. Reed. The couple lived in a beautiful brick mansion located at 5236 Cherry Street for many years, and this historic property is now for sale.

The Nelly Don Mansion in Kansas City

I saw this property hit the market yesterday, and I was blown away by the beauty and grandeur of this home. View the listing and full set of photos here. It sits on a comfortable 2.3 acres, and retains much of its original glory. The interior has been stylishly remodeled, and I love the scale of the room sizes and the grounds surrounding the home. I am not sure what type of nearby developments existed when Nelly Don lived there, but the home currently sits adjacent to the UMKC campus near the Country Club Plaza. The home is listed by Becky Loboda with Reece and Nichols Southgate.

Nelly Don Documentary

Interested in learning more about Nelly Don? Several years ago, a documentary entitled Nelly Don: A Stitch in Time was produced on the story of Nelly Don and the clothing company she built. The documentary DVD is available for check out from the Kansas City Public Library, but you can view a short clip here.