The Walter P. Chrysler Home was built in 1889 by Walter's father Henry, his brother Ed, and Walter himself, and Walter lived there from 1889 to 1897 while working for the Kansas Pacific Railway as an engine wiper and later as a mechanic. His parents remained in the home until 1913. After decades of neglect, the house fell into disrepair until the early 1950s, when the owner of the local Dodge Plymouth dealership rescued it from decay. The Chrysler Corporation later purchased the home, and on 27 August 1955 Walter's son Jack presented the deed to the city of Ellis, establishing it as a museum and opening it to public tours. In 1957 a devastating flood struck downtown Ellis, damaging the home and depositing several feet of silt and debris, but Ellis residents cleaned and repaired the damage and reopened it to the public. On 23 February 1972 the Walter P. Chrysler Boyhood Home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and in 1994 an exhibit building was added behind the house to display objects from the Chrysler Historical Collection tracing Walter's life and rise as founder of The Chrysler Corporation.