Marie Clare Dessaint House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Marie Clare Dessaint House
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4808 Northwest Blvd. Davenport, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1865-1870 |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa |
| MPS | Davenport MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 84000300 |
| Added to NRHP | November 1, 1984 |
The Marie Clare Dessaint House is a special old building located in Davenport, Iowa. It is on the northwest side of the city. This house has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984. This means it is an important historical site in the United States.
History of the Dessaint House
Marie Clare Dessaint had this house built between 1865 and 1870. It was built on a large piece of land she owned, about 143 acres. This land was along a road then called Allens Grove Road.
The Dessaint family was involved in the lumber business in Davenport. This means they cut down trees and processed the wood for building.
After Marie Clare Dessaint, the house was owned by several other people. One owner was Peter Kerker, who had the property from about 1871 to 1890.
In 1905, Simon Seng bought the house. The Seng family has owned it ever since. The house still sits on an open lot, like it's in the countryside. However, new homes have been built nearby over the years.
Architecture: Italian Villa Style
The Marie Clare Dessaint House is a great example of the Italian Villa style in Davenport. This style was popular in the mid-1800s. It often featured towers and wide eaves.
The house has two stories and is made of wood. It has an L-shape with a gable roof. A tall, three-part tower rises from the corner where the L-shape meets.
You can see large, decorative brackets under the wide roof edges. These are called "rolled brackets." There is also special molding called "architrave molding" that adds to the decoration.
The windows on the south side of the house have special recessed panels next to them. These panels hold shutters that fit smoothly into the wall. The front part of the roof has two small, round-arched windows. The top part of the tower has three round-arched windows on each of its four sides.
The other rectangular windows have molded cornices above them. These are like decorative ledges. At the back of the house, there is a smaller, one-and-a-half-story kitchen area with a gable roof. The front porch and steps you see today were added later and are not part of the original design.
