The Padded Cell, the outhouse at Murpheydale, Fran's home in Boston HeightsFrances Burke Murphey (Dec 24, 1922 - Nov 9, 1998) has been gone for almost a decade, but she keeps popping up occasionally.
The latest is a mention in the Dyer Streets column of the BJ's Bob Dyer. Bob got a note from Meleine (That's her real name and not just one of our typos) Dailey of Wadsworth who said she saw the flashing sign on Interstate 77 North which said the rest stop was closed and wondered if it was permanent or temporary.
Dyer reported that "The Ohio Department of Transportation did close the northbound rest stop--the one with a plaque memorializing legendary Beacon Journal columnist Fran Murphey--on Aug, 1."
It will reopen Sept. 1 with new waterlines.
We know very little here, but would bet that the outhouse at Murpheydale is probably no longer available.
Thanks to Bob and what's her name, however, we have an excuse for printing this photo. Fran loved to write about outhouses so this would bring a chuckle from her.
My daughter, LaQuita, who lives in Aurora, was into stained glass big time a good while back. She made a stained glass outhouse for Fran who, as always, made the donor feel special. She put it on her desk, which meant that you couldn't find it a few days later. After all, Fran had a sign that read, "This mess is a place." I still miss Fran and think and talk about her often. Pat Englehart, too, for that matter. That must mean I'm getting old -- old, mind you, not senile.
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