Eugene Field House (St. Louis) facts for kids
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Eugene Field House
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 Location in St. Louis
Location in Missouri
Location in the United States
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| Built | 1845 |
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| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 75002137 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 19, 1975 |
| Designated {{{NRHP_TYPE}}} | March 29, 2007 |
The Eugene Field House is a special museum in St. Louis, Missouri. It's a historic house built in 1845. This house was once the home of Roswell Field. He was a lawyer who helped Dred Scott in a very important court case called Dred Scott v. Sandford. Roswell Field's son, Eugene Field, grew up in this house. Eugene Field became a famous writer of children's stories. Today, the house is a National Historic Landmark. It is now a museum called the Field House Museum.
Contents
About the Field House Museum
The Field House Museum is located just south of Downtown St. Louis. You can find it at the corner of South Broadway and Cerre Street. The building is made of brick and has three stories. It has a classic style from the 1800s.
History of the Eugene Field House
Building the House
The house was built in 1845. It was part of a group of similar buildings called Walsh's Row. Most of these other buildings were taken down in the 1900s. The Eugene Field House was almost torn down too.
Saving the House
In 1936, the house was given to the St. Louis Board of Education. People who wanted to save old buildings helped raise money. The house was fixed up and opened as a museum later that year. It became a museum dedicated to Eugene Field. Later, in 1968, the Landmarks Association of St. Louis took care of the house. Then, in 1981, the Eugene Field House Foundation became its owner.
A National Historic Landmark
The house became a National Historic Landmark in 2007. This was because of its connection to Roswell Field. He was Eugene Field's father. Roswell Field was a main lawyer for Dred Scott. His legal work was very important. It helped set the stage for Scott's final appeal to the United States Supreme Court. However, the Supreme Court rejected the appeal in 1857. This was part of the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision.
The Mark Twain Plaque
In 1902, a special plaque was placed on the house. The famous author Mark Twain helped dedicate it. He announced that Eugene Field was born there. But Eugene Field's brother, Roswell, said that Eugene was born somewhere else. Mark Twain didn't mind. He told him, "Officially and for the purposes of the future, your brother was born here." The plaque is still there today. It says: "Here was born Eugene Field, the Poet, 1850–1895".
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in Missouri
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Downtown and Downtown West St. Louis
More to Read
- Marguerite Martyn, "Memories of Eugene Field by His Son: 'Pinny' Field, in St. Louis, Says the Poet Was a Child When With Children," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 21, 1936, image 32
