These 17 Unique Houses In Iowa Will Make You Look Twice … And Want To Go In
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Michaela Kendall
Author
Iowa is home to many unique and historic homes that once housed individuals who significantly influenced the course of history – for both our state and nation. People such as John Wayne, Herbert Hoover, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Buffalo Bill all called these places home, and the following 17 houses are worth the day trip to tour and temporarily travel back in time.
This gothic revival house in Eldon was immortalized in Grant Wood's epic "American Gothic" painting in 1930. Visitors come from far and wide to take their own American Gothic photo in front of the house.
Located in Winterset is the little house where John Wayne was born as Marion Robert Morrison in 1907. The home is now a museum where visitors can see the place where the Hollywood film star got his start.
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Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the United States, was born here on August 10, 1874. The little cottage was built by his father in 1871. Visitors can now tour the entire Herbert Hoover National Historic Site in West Branch.
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In 1876, the Ingalls family, including Laura, moved to Burr Oak to manage this, the Masters Hotel. The hotel is now a museum open to the public.
This beautiful 19th-century mansion in Cedar Rapids was home to three very influential families, and offers visitors an interesting history lesson through a tour of the house.
The Buffalo Bill Cody farmhouse was built in 1847 by Isaac Cody, Buffalo Bill's father, and served as Buffalo Bill's boyhood home. The house is now a museum, and tours are available daily.
The Jordan House was built in 1870 by abolitionist James C. Jordan and was a station on the Underground Railroad in Iowa.
Salisbury House was built by Carl Weeks and his wife, Edith, between 1923 and 1928. The house was modeled after the King's House in Salisbury, England, and contains 42 rooms and measures just over 22,000 square feet. The house is now open to the public for tours, public events, and private rentals.
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Built in 1893, this Victorian-era home was the site of the Sioux City Public Museum for many years, but it is now open to the public during open houses and is available to rent for special occasions.
The house was built for local businessman and lead miner Mathias Ham in 1856. The house has since been turned into a museum showcasing the Antebellum era.
This house was constructed in 1869 by General Grenville M. Dodge, a civil war veteran and one of the greatest railroad builders of all time. The house is now a museum, open for tours.
The Abbie Garder Cabin in Spirit Lake is the site of the last Native American attack on settlers in Iowa. The cabin is now open to visitors who wish to see learn more about the history of the cabin and the Gardner family.
Built in 1874, this beautiful mansion was home to Iowa's 12th governor, William Larrabee. The house is now open to visitors as a museum.
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Built in 1860, the house was the first building on the Iowa State campus. The house was home to the first two presidents of Iowa State, and is now open as a museum.
In 1904, famous musician Glenn Miller was born in a house in Clarinda. The house (shown above) is now available for tours, and there is a Glenn Miller Museum commemorating Miller.
In 1896, First Lady Mamie Eisenhower was born in Boone. The house, which has been restored, is now open as a museum, where visitors can see many Eisenhower heirlooms.
This sod house, built in 1838 (eight years before Iowa became a state), is the only known two-story sod house in the United States and one of the oldest structures in the area. Nowadays, the house is open annually during the Long Grove Strawberry Festival in early June. It may also be viewed by appointment.
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