Historic House Museums in Iowa

We try to keep this list of historic house museums for Iowa current, but it is best to check directly with the museums for their hours and other information. If you know of a historic house museum in Iowa that should be listed here, please use our submission form to let us know about it.

Ames

The Farm House Museum

Part of the Iwoa State Agricultural College, this farm house has been restored to its 1860-1910 appearance.

Open Tue, Thu, Sun 12-4, mid Mar-mid Dec • Off Union Drive • (515) 294-3342

Boone

>Mamie Doud Eisenhower Birthplace

Restored and furnished Victorian houses a museum and library that covers the former first lady's life and family history.

Open daily 12:30-5, Jun-Oct, Tue-Sun 1-5 Apr-May • 709 Carroll St. • (515) 432-1896

Burlington

Phelps House

Victorian mansion furnished with antiques.

Open Sat-Sun 1:30 - 4:30 May - Oct • At the top of Snake Alley • (319) 753-2449

The Apple Trees

The former residence of a railroad magnate, the home has an elegant parlor and displays of Indian artifacts, antique dolls, and miniatures.

Open Sat-Sun 1:30 - 4:30 May - Oct • 1616 Dill St. • Phone

Cedar Falls

The Victorian Home & Carriage House Museum

Azel D. Barnum, a contractor, built the house in 1863. Mr. Barnum designed the house in the Italianate style. Typical of this style is the square structure and the cupola. Today, the home is furnished with artifacts dating from 1880 - 1900.

Open Wed-Sat 10-4, Sun 1-4 • 308 West 3rd Street • (319) 266-5149

Cedar Rapids

Brucemore Historical Site

21 room Queen Anne mansion surrounded by rolling lawns, formal gardens, pool and pond. A National Trust property.

Open Tue-Sat 10-3, Feb-Dec • 2160 Linden Dr. • (319) 362-7375

Clermont

Montauk

Built in 1874 by Gov. William Larrabee, the interior is as it was when the governor and his family were living in the house.

Open daily 12-4, Memorial Day - Nov 1 • Half mile east of town on US18 • (319) 423-7173

Clinton

George M. Curtis House

This restored Victorian home of Lumber Baron George M. Curtis is a fine example of period architecture, with its original Tiffany glass windows, delicately carved banisters, ornate wood trim and massive fireplaces.

Tours are available by special appointment or during the summer months from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. every Wed • 420 Fifth Ave. S. • (563) 242-8556

Council Bluffs

The Historic General Dodge House

The 1869 home of railroad builder and Civil War Gen. Grenville M. Dodge has been restored and contains many of the general's possessions and his library

Call for Hours • 605 3rd St. • (712) 322-2406

Dakota City

Humboldt County Historical Museum

The museum complex contains the Mill Farm House, a barn, log cabin,schoolhouse and other small buildings. The 13 room farm house was built in 1879 and is decorated with Victorian furnishings.

Open Mon, Tue, Thu-Sat 10-4:30, Sun 1:30-4:30 • half mile south of SR3 on CR P-26 • (515) 332-5280

Decorah

Porter House Museum

The Porter House Museum is a stately Victorian home that stands as a reminder of a golden age in Decorah's history. The Porter House presently has a collection of butterflies, moths, insects, and rocks.

Open by special arrangement. • 401 W. Broadway • (563)382-8465

Des Moines

Hoyt Sherman Place

The original portion of this Victorian mansion was built in 1877 by Hoyt Sherman and features carved woodwork, wainscoting, marble fireplaces and brass chandeliers. In 1907 an art gallery wing was added, and in 1923 an auditorium was added with a domed rococo-style ceiling.

Open Daily 9-4 • 1501 Woodland Ave. • (515) 244-0507

Terrace Hill

Situated on a hill overlooking 8.5 acres of land, this 1869 Victorian mansion has been restored and is the residence of the governor. Tours are available of the first two floors showing elaborate stained glass windows, crystal chandeliers, polished woodwork, statuary and paintings.

Tours between 10-1:30, Tue-Sat, from Mar-Dec • 2300 Grand Ave. • (515) 281-3604

Wallace House Museum

The Wallace House is the home of Uncle Henry Wallace; publisher of Wallaces' Farmer; his son, Henry C. Wallace, was US Secretary of Agriculture, 1921-1924; his grandson, Henry A. Wallace, was US Secretary of Agriculture, 1933-1940, US Vice-President, 1940-1944 and ran for President in 1948. House Museum shares the legacy of the Wallaces of public service and its impact on agriculture and community life.

Open Tue-Fri, 9:30-2 • 756 16th Street • (515) 243-7063

Dubuque

Mathias Ham Historic House

The 1857 Italianate Villa has 23 rooms restored to reflect the splendor of ante-bellum Dubuque.

Open daily 10-5:30 May-Oct • Lincoln and Shiras Sts. • (319) 557-9545

Grinnell

Grinnell Historical Museum

This authentically furnished late-Victorian 10-room residence built in 1895, exhibits artifacts and photographs from Grinnell's history, among them the Wooten desk of J.B. Grinnell, the town's founder.

Open Tue-Sun 2-4 Jun-Sep, Sat-Sun 2-4 rest of the year • 1125 Broad St. • (641) 236-3732

Lake Mills

1901 Victorian House and Gardens

The Lake Mills Area Historical Society has purchased a very nice 1901 Queen Anne Victorian Home and are in the process of turning it into a museum to preserve local furnishings and traditions along with stories of the home when it was a rest home and also a hospital.

Open by appt. • 308 N. Lincoln • (64) 590-1871

Lamoni

Liberty Hall Historic Center

The 18 room farmhouse was the home of Joseph Smith III, the first president of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints.

Open Mon-Fri 10-4, Sat 10-12 • 1300 W. Main St. • (515) 784-6133

Mason City

Charles H. MacNider Museum

The English tudor style mansion houses a permanent collection of 19th and 20th century American art.

Open Tue & Thu 9-9, Wed, Fri, & Sat 9-5, Sun 1-5 • 303 2nd St. S.E. • (641) 421-3666

Oskaloosa

Nelson Homestead Pioneer Park

310 acre park depicts the farm life of the 1850s and includes many buildings.

Open Tue-Sat 10-4:30 sun 1-4:30 mid-May to mid-Oct • 1 mile north on US 63 then follow the signs • (641) 672-2989

Pella

Pella Historical Village Museum

Among many structures on site, this museum includes the boyhood home of Wyatt Earp, furnished in the style of the 1880s.

See their web site for hours • 507 Franklin St. • (641) 628-2409

Scholte House and Gardens

The home of Pella's founder, Dominie H.P. Scholte contains its original furnishings.

Open Mon-Sat 1-4 • 728 Washington St. • (641) 628-3684

Quasqueton

Cedar Rock - The Walter Residence

An example of Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian style of architecture, the house sits up on a bluff overlooking the Wapsipinicon River. As in many of Wright's homes, he had a hand in designing the furniture, carpets, draperies and accessories.

Open Tue-Sun 11-5 May-Oct • 3 miles N.W. on SR 35 • (319) 934-3572

Urbandale

Living History Farms

The 600 acre agriculture museum includes among many structures a Victorian mansion.

Open daily 9-5 Sun 11-6 May 1- Oct 25 • 2600 N.W. 111th St. • (515) 278-5286

Winterset

Bevington- Kaser House

1856 Victorian house part of the Madison County Historical Complex

Open May-Oct, Mon-Sat, 11-4; Sun 1-5 • Address • (515) 462-2134