Henry Wallace House facts for kids
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Henry Wallace 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 | 756 16th St. Des Moines, Iowa |
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| Built | 1883 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Part of | Sherman Hill Historic District (ID88001168) |
| NRHP reference No. | 93000412 |
| Added to NRHP | May 14, 1993 |
The Henry Wallace House is an old and important building in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was once the home of Henry Wallace, a man who worked hard to make farming better. This house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a special place in American history. It became part of the Sherman Hill Historic District in 1979 and was listed on its own in 1993.
Contents
The Story of Henry Wallace and His Home
Who Was Henry Wallace?
Henry Wallace was a Presbyterian minister. He moved to Iowa in 1862 with his wife Nancy and their daughter Josephine. Henry became the editor of a newspaper called Iowa Homestead. He really believed in making farming better and worked to improve it.
Wallace's Farmer Magazine
With his sons, Henry C. and John, Henry Wallace started a magazine. It was first called Wallace's Farm and Dairy. Later, it became a very important national magazine known as Wallace's Farmer. This magazine helped farmers across the country.
Helping Iowa State University Grow
Henry Wallace also helped create Iowa State University. He wanted it to be a top place for agricultural research. This means studying how to grow crops and raise animals better. Henry was asked to be the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, but he suggested his friend James "Tama Jim" Wilson for the job instead.
The Wallace Family and Their Legacy
Nancy Wallace passed away in 1909, and Henry died in 1916. Their family continued to be important in American history. Henry's son, Henry C., later became the Secretary of Agriculture. His grandson, Henry A. Wallace, was also Secretary of Agriculture, then Secretary of Commerce, and even U.S. Vice President.
The House's Journey Through Time
The Wallace family moved into this house in Des Moines in 1892. It is located on the corner of 16th and Center Streets. Their daughter Josephine lived in the house until 1923. The Wallace family owned the house until 1940.
By the 1950s, the house was changed into 11 apartments. It stayed this way until the early 1970s. Then, a person named Guy L. Roberts, Jr. bought it. He started to fix it up and turn it back into a single-family home.
Becoming a Museum Today
In 1988, Guy Roberts sold the house to The Wallace House Foundation. This foundation was created to buy and restore the home. In 2000, a very old oak tree next to the house was named Iowa's Millennium Tree. The garden was also redesigned in 2008. Today, The Wallace Centers of Iowa own the house. They keep it as a house museum, where people can visit and learn about its history.
The House's Design and Restoration
Victorian-Italianate Style
The Henry Wallace House was built in 1883. It is designed in the Victorian-Italianate style. This style often includes special features like a porch that wraps around the house. It also has stacked bay windows, which are windows that stick out from the wall. There is also a balcony on the second floor.
Changes Over the Years
Around 1895, the Wallace family made some changes to the third floor. They added two more bedrooms. They also changed the roof to a mix of a mansard and a hip roof, and added dormer windows. These are windows that stick out from the sloped roof.
Bringing the House Back to Life
In the late 1900s, the house was carefully restored. Josephine Wallace's old photographs helped guide this work. An architect named William Wagner, who is an expert in fixing up old buildings, made plans to bring the house back to its original look.
The house was changed a little to allow it to be used for different things. It now serves as a museum, office space, and a place for meetings. The Wallace family also gave back some of their old furniture and historical items. These are now displayed in the house. The portraits of Henry and Nancy Wallace that you can see there are the original ones from the house.
Other Places Connected to the Wallaces
The following places are also linked to the Wallace family and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:
- Catalpa, a farm located southeast of Greenfield, Iowa
- Henry C. Wallace House in Winterset, Iowa
