Louis P. and Clara K. Best Residence and Auto House facts for kids
The Louis P. and Clara K. Best Residence and Auto House is a cool old building in Davenport, Iowa. It's also known by other names like Grandview Apartments and The Alamo. This historic home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010. It's also part of a larger historic area called the Hamburg Historic District.
Quick facts for kids |
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Louis P. and Clara K. Best Residence and Auto House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The Best Residence June 2011
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 627 Ripley St. Davenport, Iowa |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1910 |
| Built by | Concrete Engineering Co.; Jake Sievers |
| Architect | Clausen & Clausen |
| Architectural style | Mission/Spanish Revival |
| Part of | Hamburg Historic District (ID83003656) |
| NRHP reference No. | 10000296 |
| Added to NRHP | May 28, 2010 |
Contents
Meet the Best Family
Louis P. Best was born in 1848 in Germany. He studied in big cities like Stuttgart and Berlin. In 1869, he came to the United States. He first worked as a chemist in New York City.
Louis Best's Business Ventures
In 1874, Louis moved to Davenport. He started working for the Davenport Glucose Manufacturing Company. He bought enough stock to become a main owner. He also helped manage the company.
Louis had other business interests too. He was president of Davenport Machinery & Foundry Company. He was also involved with Bettendorf Axle Company and Hawkeye Electric Company. He even helped start a glucose factory in Granite City, Illinois. In 1908, he built the Best Building in Rock Island, Illinois. This building was for a department store. Louis also served on the local school board. There's a fun local story that Louis Best invented the way to make Argo cornstarch!
Clara Best and Their Family
Louis Best was married twice. His first wife was Louise Heck. They married in London in 1871 and had a son named Rudolph. Louise passed away around 1896.
In 1899, Louis married Clara Krause. They had two children, a son named Louis and a daughter named Margaret. Clara was a successful businesswoman herself. Her father was an early settler in Davenport. He started a company that made clothing, like overalls. Clara helped manage this company. She was its treasurer for several years. Clara passed away in 1922, and Louis died four years later.
What Happened to the House?
After Louis died, his children had their own homes. They didn't want this big house. In 1928, it was sold to Thomas Agar. He changed the house into apartments.
Over the years, the property had several owners. In 1987, Donald and Darlene Brus bought it. They worked hard to restore the house. They even received an award for their great preservation work!
Unique Architecture of the Best House
The Best house was built in 1910. It stands where another house, the Henry C. Struck, Jr. house, used to be. That house was moved next door! The Best house is special because it's one of the few examples of Mission Revival style in Davenport. It was also one of the first "absolutely fireproof" houses built in the Quad Cities area.
How the House Was Built
The house is made of hollow clay tiles covered with stucco. The floors are strong, made with steel-reinforced concrete. The house has 2½ stories. It features a steep hipped roof, which is common for an American Foursquare style home. It also has gabled sections with curved parapets, typical of the Mission Style. There's a small front porch and a wing on the south side.
You can spot a special Palladian window on the west side. It's in a Spanish-inspired roof dormer. The front porch has cool American Craftsman decorations. You can also see Prairie School influences. This includes the long, horizontal lines of the porches. There's also a projecting window and a two-story sunporch. The roof used to have red French-style tiles. Now it has red asphalt shingles.
The Auto House (Garage)
The main house is connected to a two-story "auto house," which is like a garage. They are linked by a Roman arch. This arch carries steam heat from the house's basement to the auto house. The auto house is built with the same materials as the main house. The first floor had three spaces for cars. The second floor was living space for the chauffeur. It also has a roof dormer on its south side.
Who Designed It?
Both buildings were designed by a famous Davenport architectural firm called Clausen & Clausen. People believe Rudolph Clausen designed the house. He was the younger architect. He knew more about new building methods. This included the "fireproof" construction and mixing Mission and Arts & Crafts styles. The Concrete Engineering Company of Davenport did the concrete work. Jake Sievers was the main contractor.
