David Yeiser House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Mayor David A. Yeiser House
|
|
|
U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
|
Front of the house
|
|
 Location in Kentucky
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 533 Madison St., Paducah, Kentucky |
|---|---|
| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1852 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate |
| Part of | Lower Town Neighborhood District (ID82002736) |
| NRHP reference No. | 73002130 |
| Added to NRHP | March 7, 1973 |
The David Yeiser House is a historic home in Paducah, Kentucky. It was built in the 1850s. The house is named after David A. Yeiser. He was an important mayor of Paducah. He helped make many improvements to the city.
This house is special because it's one of the few Greek Revival style homes in Paducah built before the 1860s. It also stands on land where a big battle happened. Most other houses around it were destroyed during that battle. The David Yeiser House is now a recognized historic site.
Contents
Who Lived in This Historic House?
The David Yeiser House was built in 1852. Its first owner was William Smedley. He owned a wharfboat on the Ohio River in Paducah. He also sold supplies for boats.
Later, David A. Yeiser bought the house. He was a pharmacist and a politician. Yeiser served as Paducah's mayor for thirteen years. During his time as mayor, the city built its first sewers. It also got its first electric streetlights. Some of the main streets were paved too.
The Alben W. Barkley Museum
After some time, the Yeiser House became old and needed repairs. It was then fixed up and turned into a museum. The Young Historians Association of Paducah ran the museum. This group was made of students from local high schools and middle schools. Adults guided them. The students created exhibits and taught visitors about the museum.
The museum was named the Alben W. Barkley Museum. Alben Barkley was from Paducah. He became the Vice President of the United States. He served under President Harry S. Truman. The museum had many of Barkley's things. These included his hat and his vice-presidential desk. There were also photos of him meeting important people, like the Pope.
The museum also had a smaller part about Linn Boyd. He was also from Paducah. Boyd was the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives for four years.
The House's Design and History
The area where the house stands is called the Lower Town neighborhood. Paducah took over this area in 1836. The buildings here have many different styles. You can see Greek Revival and Queen Anne styles. There are also many simple, local buildings like shotguns.
Very few buildings in this area are older than the 1860s. This is because of the Civil War. A battle called the Battle of Paducah happened right in this neighborhood. Confederate soldiers tried to attack Union-controlled Fort Anderson. The Union soldiers pushed them back. Then, the Union commander ordered houses nearby to be destroyed. This was to stop future invaders from hiding in them.
The Yeiser House is one of the few buildings that survived this battle. Like most other survivors, it is in the Greek Revival style. It has a special covered porch on the front. This makes it different from many other Kentucky houses of that time.
What Does the House Look Like?
The Yeiser House is one story tall. It is made of brick. It has a low, sloped roof called a hip roof. Two chimneys stick up from the roof. The walls are very thick, about one foot.
The front of the house has three sections, called bays. You can see both Greek Revival and Italianate styles. The front porch roof has fancy brackets. These form a decorative edge, called a cornice. Four square brick columns hold up the porch. The porch is about 9 feet deep and 50 feet wide.
The main door is in the front. It has windows on the sides, called sidelights. There is also a window above the door, called a transom window. Two decorative flat columns, called pilasters, frame the door.
The front of the house looks almost the same as it did when it was new. But the back looks different. In the 1940s, a porch on the side was closed in. It became part of the house. One of the original chimneys was also removed. Inside, more changes were made. Two fireplaces were taken out. The bathroom was updated, and the furniture was replaced.
Protecting History: The House's Special Status
In March 1973, the Yeiser House was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a very important historic building. It was recognized for its architecture and its connection to David Yeiser. It was the first place in McCracken County to get this special title.
The Lower Town Neighborhood District is also on the National Register. This district includes many city blocks. The Yeiser House is one of the most important buildings in this historic area.
Sadly, the Alben W. Barkley Museum is no longer open. A history teacher had supported the museum with his own time and money. But the money ran out in 2008. The museum closed in August of that year. The city bought the building. The museum's items were moved. Some went to a museum in the Market House. Others went to different museums.
