Adams-Higgins House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Adams-Higgins House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1215 Grand Ave. Spencer, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1884, 1912 |
| Architect | J. G. Ralston (1911 remodeling plans) |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival Late Victorian |
| Part of | North Grand Avenue Residential Historic District (ID14000212) |
| NRHP reference No. | 84001214 |
| Added to NRHP | September 27, 1984 |
The Adams-Higgins House is a special historic home located in Spencer, Iowa, United States. You can find it at 1215 Grand Avenue. People also call it the Higgins House or Higgins Mansion. This house is quite unique because it started as a Victorian-style home in 1884. Later, in 1912, it got a big makeover. This renovation added beautiful Neo-classical porches and a new roofline.
In 1984, the Adams-Higgins House was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important historical places in the United States. At that time, the property still had its old gardens and a playhouse. This playhouse was built around 1917-1918 and was about 32 feet by 29 feet. In 2014, the house became part of the North Grand Avenue Residential Historic District. This means it's an important building within a larger historic neighborhood.
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History of the Adams-Higgins House
The Adams-Higgins House, often called the Higgins Mansion, has a rich history. It was built in 1884 by a man named J.Q. Adams. Mr. Adams was a local farmer, banker, and land developer. He even served as the mayor of Spencer from 1889 to 1890. He bought the land for the house, which was a whole city block, for $350.
Early Owners and Big Changes
In 1900, Mr. Adams sold the property to Amanda Bender. She never lived in the house. Later, in 1902, Mr. and Mrs. William Higgins bought the house and the rest of the block. They were newlyweds who had just moved to Spencer from Chicago. The Higgins family wanted to make their home truly special.
Starting in 1911, they hired architect J. G. Ralston from Waterloo, Iowa. He helped them transform the house into an architectural landmark. They added huge Neo-classical columns, which are tall, grand pillars. They also added a third floor to the house. An iron fence was put around the property, and a kidney-shaped fish pond was built in the yard.
The Playhouse and Its Journey
Around 1917, a playhouse was built for the Higgins children. The Higgins family had adopted these children from the Orphan Train. The Orphan Train was a program that moved children from crowded cities to new homes across the country. For a short time, the playhouse was even used as a classroom. This happened when a nearby elementary school was being repaired.
In 1947, a part of the property was given to the First Congregational Church. They used it to build a new church. Because of this, the playhouse was moved to its current spot on the property.
Later Owners and Renovations
Mrs. Higgins passed away in 1961. The property was then sold at an auction in 1962 to Mathilda Delaney. Mathilda had started the Delaney Nursing Home in Spencer in 1940. She used the mansion as part of her nursing home until 1975. Mrs. Delaney lived in the home until 1983.
In 1983, Paul and Paula Brenner bought the property. They successfully had the home placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The Brenners worked hard for almost 15 years to restore both the outside and inside of the house. In 1993, they renovated the playhouse, using it as their antique shop.
The home later passed to Drs. Jon and Debora Hade. They remodeled the kitchen. They even brought up old cabinets that Mr. Higgins had used, and you can still see his handwriting on one of the shelves! The dining room has a beautiful mahogany sideboard that goes from the floor to the ceiling. A Chicago artist signed the painted mural in the dining room. The current owners, Neal and Kitty Conover, finished more renovation work in 2005.
