The Oldest Building In Iowa Was Built All The Way Back In 1827
How old do you think the oldest building in Iowa is? What do you think it’s made of? Where can you find it? If these are questions that keep you up at night (or even if they’re not), you’ll be happy to know that we’ve got all the answers for you right here!
In 1827, Frederick Douglass learned to read. Beethoven died. Wooden matches were invented. And the Louis Arriandeaux Log House of Dubuque, Iowa was built.
We'll run that name by you again: the Louis Arriandeaux Log House. Are you familiar with it? It's only the oldest building in the entire state of Iowa. A log cabin built in 1827, the Louis Arriandeaux Log House truly has stood the test of time... for the past nearly 200 years!
Also known simply as "Settler's Cabin," this log structure can be viewed at the Mathias Ham Historic Site, located at 2241 Lincoln Avenue in Dubuque, Iowa.
This historic cabin is thought to have been the home of a French trapper, then several lead miners. It was originally built on the corner of 2nd and Locust Street in Dubuque but was moved twice - once to a local park and once to its current location so that it could be preserved for posterity.
It's a double log cabin built in the "dog-trot" style with a walkway through the middle. Originally, the cabin was windowless. The chimney was also a later addition. At one point in its history, the original logs were covered over with siding.
Despite all these modifications over the years, the basic structure of the cabin is still in its original form - the same form that was constructed almost two full centuries ago.
To learn more about this historic structure – the oldest building in Iowa – visit the Mathias Ham Historic Site website or Facebook page. Love old buildings? Check out Iowa’s oldest church!
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Address: Mathias Ham Historic Site, 2241 Lincoln Ave, Dubuque, IA 52001, USA
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