Henry Lischer House facts for kids
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Henry Lischer 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 | 624 W. 6th St. Davenport, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | c. 1870 |
| Built by | Frank Kurk Frank Noe |
| Architect | W.L. Carroll |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa |
| Part of | Hamburg Historic District (ID83003656) |
| MPS | Davenport MRA |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 18, 1983 |
The Henry Lischer House is an old and important building in Davenport, Iowa. It is part of the Hamburg Historic District, a special area with many historic homes. This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. This list includes places important to American history. The house itself was also listed on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties in 1993. This means it's recognized as a key part of Davenport's history.
About Henry Lischer
This house is connected to Henry Lischer, a very important person in Davenport's history. He owned and published a German-language newspaper called Der Demokrat. This newspaper was started in 1851. Many German immigrants lived in Davenport, and newspapers in their own language were very important to them.
Henry Lischer and his partner, Theodor Olshausen, bought the newspaper in 1856. Both men were German immigrants who had worked in newspapers in St. Louis, Missouri. At first, Der Demokrat supported the Democratic Party. However, it was also a "free paper." This meant it could share its own ideas and support freedom and human rights.
The newspaper began to support the Republican Party. It was strongly against slavery. It even printed a supportive story when John Brown, a famous person who fought against slavery, passed away.
Lischer and Olshausen left Davenport in 1860. They went back to St. Louis to take over another newspaper. The new owners of Der Demokrat faced money problems. This was partly because of their strong views and the tough times during the American Civil War.
Henry Lischer still had a financial interest in the paper. He returned to Davenport and became its only owner for the next 40 years. After the Civil War, the newspaper fought against the ban on alcohol. This ban was supported by the Republican Party. Even when Iowa made alcohol illegal in 1882, Scott County often ignored the law. The newspaper supported this defiance. Henry Lischer's sons continued his work after he passed away.
The House Design
The Henry Lischer House is built in the Italian Villa style. This style often features wide eaves, tall windows, and decorative brackets. A famous Davenport architect named W.L. Carroll designed the house.
Construction began in 1868. Frank Kurk was the main builder, and Frank Noe was in charge of the brickwork. The house sits high up on a hill, looking down over the street. In 1874, Henry Lischer and his son-in-law, Frederick G. Clausen, worked together. They built a stone wall and staircases. These steps led from the sidewalk up to their homes, which were next door to each other.
