If you stepped inside 926 Spring Street during the Candlelight Homes Tour, you know: it wasn’t just a “stop” on the route. It was a goodbye, a love letter, and one last Christmas at a home that has welcomed guests for more than a century.
If you missed it, here’s the story behind the former Murphy House Bed & Breakfast – and why this year’s tour was so special.
A House That’s Been Family for 100+ Years
The stately home at 926 Spring St was built in 1912 by local druggist Frank Hillix. In 1920, it became part of the Murphy family story when Amy Heidrick’s great-great-grandparents, Lee and Susan Murphy, bought the property.
From there, it passed through generations:
- In 1960, Amy’s grandparents, Shirley Lee (S.L.) and Lucille Ross, moved in with their three daughters – Carolyn, Linda, and Mary Jo.
- Holidays, school days, milestones, and everyday memories layered into the house year after year.
For longtime Weston residents, the house isn’t just an address. It’s part of the town’s living memory.
From Family Home to Beloved B&B
After Amy’s grandparents passed away in the late 1990s, her mother Mary Jo—who had been living in Ashland, Oregon—began dreaming of coming home and turning the family house into a bed and breakfast.
Before she moved back, she tackled some major updates:
- Enclosing the original screened porch to create a bigger, more functional kitchen with room for laundry
- Modernizing the downstairs and upstairs bathrooms
- Converting a small upstairs bedroom into a third bathroom
Fun fact: before 2001, the house didn’t have a shower. That’s hard to imagine now, especially for anyone who stayed there as a guest.
In 2004, Mary Jo officially opened The Murphy House Bed & Breakfast, offering two guest rooms upstairs (and a third when needed), full breakfasts in the formal dining room, and plenty of time to linger in the cozy front living room or on the porch.
Over the next two decades, she hosted hundreds of guests from all over the world, including many who returned on the same weekend year after year. For them, Weston meant The Murphy House just as much as Main Street or the wineries.
Queen Anne Bones, Arts & Crafts Soul
Architecturally, 926 Spring is a standout.
Owner Amy Heidrick, who has a background in history and a love of architecture, describes the house as late Victorian Queen Anne-style with strong Arts and Crafts elements. When it was built, it would have been quite modern for its time.
On the tour, visitors got to see:
- Period furniture chosen to complement the era of the home
- Woodwork and details that highlight the craftsmanship
- Decor that feels both historic and welcoming, true to Mary Jo’s vision
Amy shared that her mom “really embraced the home’s history and design,” filling it with pieces that felt right for the house while making sure guests were truly comfortable.
The Front Porch at the Heart of It All
One detail that seemed to touch visitors most was not a fancy fixture or a rare antique—it was the front porch.
For Amy, that porch has always been the heart of the house. As a child visiting her grandparents, she spent hours on the porch swing, taking in the neighborhood. Now, her 5-year-old son loves to do the same.
The porch has seen:
- Summer evenings watching lightning bugs
- Family gatherings and quiet conversations
- Generations of people simply sitting, swinging, and being together
Even during a winter homes tour, it wasn’t hard to imagine those warm nights and the steady rhythm of that porch swing through the years.
A Christmas Tribute to Mary Jo
This year’s Candlelight Homes Tour was especially emotional.
Mary Jo passed away in May 2024, and Amy, who lives in Seattle, had to close The Murphy House Bed & Breakfast. Opening the house for the tour was not about marketing a business—it was about honoring a life.
Amy shared:
“My mom loved being a B&B hostess and sharing the history of the home and Weston. I’m excited to do this for our family and to honor my mom’s legacy and love of Christmas.”
The home has been on the Candlelight Homes Tour several times, most recently in 2018, when Mary Jo asked Amy to fly back for a “decorating weekend.” That year, they went all out—extra trees, more lights, and décor that drew attention to the home’s unique design.
This year’s tour carried that same spirit. The house was once again full of Christmas trees, twinkling lights, and thoughtful touches, but it also carried a quiet sense of farewell—a final season of sharing the Murphy family’s Christmas magic with the community.
For Those Who Visited – and Those Who Didn’t
If you walked through 926 Spring Street on the tour, you likely felt it: this wasn’t just a beautiful old home decorated for the holidays.
It was:
- A 100+ year family story
- A tribute to a woman who built a life around welcoming others
- A reminder of how our town’s history lives in real homes, with real families, and real love
If you didn’t make it there this year, consider this your “ICYMI.” The house may no longer be operating as a B&B, but its impact on Weston—and the memories held inside its walls—won’t fade anytime soon.
Some houses are pretty.
This one has been a host, a home, and now, a legacy.