There is more to Specimen 55 than meets the eye.
More than 140 years ago, a physician lived and practiced medicine at 55 N. Mulberry Street. He was a respected surgeon, a collector of fascinating curiosities and the owner of one of Mansfield’s most distinctive homes.
Today, that same historic address is home to the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development.
And now, 55 N. Mulberry has inspired a beer.
The Phoenix Brewing Company Introduces: Specimen 55
The Story Behind the Name
Specimen 55 honors the legacy of Dr. James Woods Craig, a prominent Mansfield physician and surgeon who lived and practiced at 55 N. Mulberry Street in the late 1800s.
Dr. Craig was more than a physician. He had a fascination with the natural world and amassed an extensive collection of specimens and curiosities. His interests included geology, archaeology and ornithology, along with a wide variety of unusual objects.
His collection was reportedly filled with the kinds of things that would make a modern-day curiosity cabinet look ordinary: taxidermy, animals, jars containing teeth and eyeballs, sea creatures, a whale bone and even a full-size emu.
According to his 1895 obituary, Dr. Craig’s collection was extensive enough that he loaned specimens and curiosities to the Memorial Museum associated with Mansfield’s public schools.
That fascination with specimens is where the first half of our beer’s name comes from.
The second half is even closer to home. 55 is the address of the historic building where the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development operates today.
A Historic Mansfield Home
The building at 55 N. Mulberry Street is historically known as the Booth-Craig House.
It was constructed between 1879 and 1881 by Orin H. Booth, who was superintendent of the Western Union telegraph office in Mansfield. Cleveland architect Levi C. Scofield designed the home. Scofield would later become known for designing the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield.
Booth lived in the magnificent home for only a few years before his death in 1883. A year later, Dr. James W. Craig purchased the property from Booth’s widow and made it his home and medical office.
The house itself was considered remarkable for its time. Its architecture combines Victorian and Queen Anne influences, with stained glass imported from Europe, marble fireplaces quarried in Vermont, brass hardware made in Hartford, Connecticut, and locally milled oak, cherry and walnut woodwork. The main door features curly maple inlay.
When it was constructed, the property was near the edge of Mansfield. Today, it sits in the heart of the community and continues to serve an important role in the city. The Richland County Chamber purchased the property in May 1977, with renovations completed the following year. Additional restoration work has helped preserve many of the building’s original features.
A Family of Physicians
Dr. Craig’s connection to 55 N. Mulberry continued through the next generation.
His son, Dr. James Harvey Craig, also became a physician and surgeon and lived and practiced at the home. The property therefore served as both a residence and a place of medicine for two generations of the Craig family.
Dr. James W. Craig died in the home in 1895. His obituary describes him as a skilled surgeon and a prominent member of the medical community. His son would go on to become involved in Mansfield’s public health as well, serving as the city’s health officer and dealing with public-health challenges including smallpox outbreaks.
From Medicine to Membership
More than a century later, 55 N. Mulberry continues to be a place dedicated to serving the Mansfield and Richland County community.
But instead of treating patients, the building now serves as the home of the Richland Area Chamber & Economic Development, where the Chamber works to support local businesses, economic growth and the community.
And that’s where Specimen 55 comes in.
We wanted the name of this beer to connect our present-day work with the remarkable history of the building we call home.
Specimen pays tribute to Dr. Craig and his extraordinary collection.
55 pays tribute to the address that connects his story to ours.
Brewed in Mansfield
Specimen 55 is being created in partnership with The Phoenix Brewing Company, bringing together two Mansfield organizations with a shared appreciation for local history, community and a good craft beer.
Phoenix Brewing Company opened in 2014 in downtown Mansfield and operates from the beautifully restored former Schroer Funeral Home and Mortuary, a building dating to 1914. The brewery’s own story is rooted in preserving and repurposing Mansfield history, making Phoenix a fitting partner for a beer inspired by the history of 55 N. Mulberry.
And the Chamber isn’t just putting its name on the label.
Chamber staff have even been invited to “assist” with key components of the brewing process. While the professionals at Phoenix are handling the actual brewing expertise, Chamber staff are getting an opportunity to see firsthand how Specimen 55 comes together.
We may not be ready to quit our day jobs and become brewers, but we’re certainly enjoying our role in bringing this piece of Mansfield history to life.
A New Chapter for an Old Story
Dr. Craig collected specimens.
The Booth-Craig House has welcomed doctors, business leaders and community members.
The Chamber has called 55 N. Mulberry home for nearly 50 years.
And now, that history is being carried forward in a completely new way.
Specimen 55 is more than a beer. It’s a toast to Mansfield history, a remarkable building, a fascinating physician and the community that continues to make 55 N. Mulberry part of the story.
So the next time you raise a glass of Specimen 55, remember:
There’s a little history in every sip.