Fred B. Sharon House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fred B. Sharon House
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 728 Farnam St. Davenport, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1891 |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| MPS | Davenport MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 83002503 |
| Added to NRHP | July 7, 1983 |
The Fred B. Sharon House is an old and important building in Davenport, Iowa. It's located in a neighborhood called Cork Hill. This house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. This means it's officially recognized as a special historical place in the United States.
Meet Fred B. Sharon
Fred B. Sharon was a very important person in Davenport, Iowa. He started as a high school teacher in New York City. Later, he became a successful businessman and a newspaper publisher. He even served as the postmaster for Davenport.
Fred and his brother Thomas came to Davenport in 1882. They started a newspaper called the Messenger. After his brother passed away, Fred took over the newspaper. He changed its name to the Iowa Catholic Messenger.
Fred managed the newspaper for almost 50 years. It shared news about the Catholic Church. It also featured writings for Irish and German communities. In 1931, Pope Pius XI gave him a special honor. Fred became a Knight of St. Gregory.
Besides the newspaper, Fred Sharon helped start several banks. These included the Home Building Loan and Savings Association. He also helped create the Union Savings Bank and Citizens Trust. He was also involved with the Hibernian Hall Association.
Fred was a founding member of two important groups in Davenport. These were the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Loras Council of the Knights of Columbus. In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson chose him to be the postmaster for Davenport. He held this job for almost nine years. Fred Sharon passed away on July 10, 1949. He is buried in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Davenport.
House Design and Style
The Fred B. Sharon House is a three-story building made of brick. It was built in the Second Empire style. This style was popular during the Victorian era.
The house has a special T-shape design. It features a tall tower in the middle. There is also a wing on the side. The roof is a unique mansard roof. It has a fancy wrought iron decoration on top.
The windows on the first and second floors are rectangular. The windows on the third floor have an arched shape. The central tower has a very large window area. Even though it was built later in the Second Empire period, the house looks very balanced. Its tall shape and detailed roof show it was built during the Victorian era. The front porch you see today is a copy of the original one.
