John Littig House facts for kids
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John Littig House
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 6035 Northwest Blvd. Davenport, Iowa |
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| Area | 2-acre (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1867 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| MPS | Davenport MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 84000310 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 1, 1984 |
The John Littig House is a cool old building in Davenport, Iowa. It's on the northwest side of the city. This house was built way back in 1867. It's famous for its unique Gothic Revival style. Because it's so special, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. It also joined the Davenport Register of Historic Properties in 1993.
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History of the Littig House
This stone farmhouse was built by a man named John Littig. He was an immigrant from France. John Littig used to be the carriage driver for Antoine Le Claire, who helped start the city of Davenport. Before that, John worked for Harvey Leonard, who made bricks and built things in the area.
This was the third farm John Littig owned in Scott County, Iowa. His farm grew to be the biggest in the whole county. It was known as a really impressive place. The Littig family was famous for being very welcoming to guests. They also made their own wines right there on the farm!
The City of Davenport bought the house in the mid-1970s. They fixed it up to make it look nice again. Today, the John Littig House is used as a meeting spot for different groups and organizations.
What Makes the House Special?
The John Littig House is built in the Gothic Revival style. This style was very popular for churches in Davenport. However, it wasn't used much for regular houses. The Littig House is a great example of how this style was used for homes in the city.
Gothic Revival Features
The house has a steep front gable, which is the triangular part of the wall under the roof. This is a classic Gothic roof shape. You can also see some fancy decorations on the porch brackets. These details give the house its Gothic look.
Other Design Styles
Even though it's Gothic Revival, the house also has parts that look like other styles. It has features from Georgian Revival, Federal, and Greek Revival designs. For example, the main part of the house is symmetrical, with five sections or "bays." This balance is a common feature in neoclassical styles.
Building Materials and Details
The house is made of rough rubble stone. This stone was covered with plaster and then marked to look like smooth, cut stone, called ashlar. Even the kitchen area at the back of the house was built this way.
The main entrance has double doors. Above these doors, there's a special window called a transom. The roof has a decorative trim called a modillion cornice. The corners of the house have dressed stone quoins, which are large, cut stones that add strength and decoration. The rectangular windows are almost flat with the outside walls. They have shallow, rectangular covers above them. There's also a round-arch window in the front gable.
