March 2008 Issue

A Night to Remember - The Sturgis House

Most visitors to East Liverpool are pottery lovers, eager to find vestiges of the crockery manufacturers that once lined the landscape.

But in 1934, it was the FBI that was in hot pursuit in this Ohio River town. Charles Arthur “Pretty Boy” Floyd –– that period’s public enemy No. 1 –– was on the run in the region; he was eventually gunned down by authorities on a farm north of town. But the outlaw earned an eternal place in local history when his body was brought to the Sturgis Funeral Home.

That funeral home, a restored Victorian mansion, was turned into a bed and breakfast 10 years ago. The antiques and delicate furnishings that adorn the six guest rooms hardly hint at the building’s unusual past, and the 24-hour open kitchen and continental breakfast –– which includes L&B doughnuts, a local favorite –– recalls the types of offerings found at plenty of other B&Bs around the state.

But then, there’s the small matter of the mortuary museum in the basement. The displays of Pretty Boy’s death mask over the washing machine, photos and plenty of memorabilia make the Sturgis House a must-see spot for history and crime buffs. And those folks might want to book their room now for next year: The 75th anniversary of Pretty Boy’s death promises plenty of special events related to the Depression-era bandit.