National Register of Historic Places listings in Lee County, Iowa facts for kids

Location of Lee County in Iowa

Have you ever wondered about the oldest and most important buildings and places in your area? In the United States, there's a special list called the National Register of Historic Places. It's like a hall of fame for buildings, structures, objects, and areas that are important to American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture. When a place is on this list, it means it's recognized for its special value and efforts are made to protect it.

This article is about the cool historic places in Lee County, Iowa. There are 45 different spots in the county that are on the National Register. One of them is even a National Historic Landmark, which is an even higher level of importance! Let's explore some of these amazing places and learn about their stories.

Historic Gems in Fort Madison

The old Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Passenger and Freight Complex.

Fort Madison is home to many historic buildings. You can find several homes that belonged to important people, as well as places that were once busy centers of town life.

Old Train Station and Freight Complex

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Passenger and Freight Complex Historic District is a group of buildings that used to be a train station and a place for shipping goods. It was built in 1909 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Imagine all the people and goods that passed through here long ago!

Important Homes in Fort Madison

The Albright House at 716-718 Avenue F is one of the historic homes.
The Chief Justice Joseph M. Beck House at 630 Avenue E was the home of a very important judge.
The Cattermole Memorial Library at 614 7th Street is a beautiful old library building.
The Moyce-Steffens House at 1615 Avenue H is another historic home.
The George E. Schlapp House at 639 Avenue C is also on the list.

Fort Madison's Downtown and Old School

A building in the Fort Madison Downtown Commercial Historic District.

The Fort Madison Downtown Commercial Historic District includes many buildings from the late 1800s. These buildings show off Federal and Late Victorian styles of architecture. This area was once the bustling heart of the city.

The Old Fort Madison High School at 1812 Avenue F, built in 2015, is also recognized for its history.

Fort Madison Bridge

The Fort Madison Bridge is a really interesting bridge. It's a swinging truss bridge that goes over the Mississippi River. It connects Fort Madison, Iowa, to Niota, Illinois. It was added to the Register in 1999.

Iowa State Penitentiary

The Iowa State Penitentiary Cellhouses Historic District is a historic prison that was started way back in 1839. It was one of the first prisons in the Iowa Territory.

Historic Neighborhoods

The Park-to-Park Residential Historic District covers several blocks of homes on Avenue F and Avenue E. These neighborhoods tell a story about how people lived in Fort Madison long ago.

Sheaffer Family Homes

The Craig and Virginia Sheaffer House and the Walter A. Sheaffer House are two homes on High Point. These houses belonged to members of the Sheaffer family, who were important in Fort Madison's history, especially with the W.A. Sheaffer Pen Company.

Keokuk's Historical Treasures

The Gen. William Worth Belknap House in Keokuk.

Keokuk also has many significant places on the National Register, including homes of generals and important public buildings.

Homes of Notable Figures

The Gen. William Worth Belknap House is a Greek Revival style home built in 1854. William Worth Belknap was a Civil War general and later served as the Secretary of War for President Ulysses S. Grant.
The Gen. Samuel R. Curtis House is another Greek Revival home. Samuel R. Curtis was also a Civil War general.
The E. H. Harrison House is a mix of Federal and Second Empire styles, designed in 1857.
The John N. and Mary L. (Rankin) Irwin House is a two-story brick home. John N. Irwin was a territorial governor for Idaho and Arizona, and even a US minister to Portugal.
The C. R. Joy House is a beautiful Queen Anne style house.
The Justice Samuel Freeman Miller House is an Italianate style house from 1859. Samuel Freeman Miller was a Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States for 28 years!
The Hugh W. and Sarah Sample House is another Italianate style house from 1859.
The Alois and Annie Weber House and the Frank J. Weess House are both Second Empire style homes from the late 1800s.

Keokuk's Public Buildings and Landmarks

The Hotel Iowa in Keokuk.

The Hotel Iowa is an eight-story building from 1913, built in the Chicago Commercial style.
The Keokuk Lock and Dam is a huge dam across the Mississippi River. It's over 4,600 feet long and includes locks that help boats travel up and down the river. This entire area is also part of the Lock and Dam No. 19 Historic District, which includes several buildings and structures.
The Keokuk National Cemetery was created during the American Civil War. It was a place to bury Union soldiers who died in the army hospitals in Keokuk.
The Keokuk Union Depot is an old train station.
The Keokuk Young Women's Christian Association Building was built in 1913 and shows a mix of architectural styles from that time.
The U.S. Post Office and Courthouse is a Late Victorian building from 1887. It was first a federal courthouse and now also serves as the South Lee County Courthouse and a post office.

Keokuk's Historic Churches

St. John's Episcopal Church and Parish Hall is a Gothic Revival church built between 1884 and 1888.
St. Peter Church is another Gothic Revival church built from 1879 to 1885. It's now known as the Church of All Saints.

Keokuk's Residential Districts

The Park Place-Grand Avenue Residential District is an area with many Late Victorian homes, mostly built in the early 1900s. It's a great place to see historic architecture.

Other Historic Places in Lee County

Bridgeport Bridge

The Bridgeport Bridge near Denmark.

The Bridgeport Bridge near Denmark is a Pennsylvania through truss bridge. It was built in 1904 and crosses the Skunk River, extending into Des Moines County.

Denmark Congregational Church

The Denmark Congregational Church is a historic church where an abolitionist named Asa Turner, Jr. was a pastor in the mid-1800s. Abolitionists were people who worked to end slavery.

Faeth Farmstead and Orchard District

The Faeth Farmstead and Orchard District near Fort Madison is a historic farm and orchard. It's even on the "Most Endangered" list of the Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance, meaning it's a very important place that needs to be protected.

Christian and Katharina Herschler House, Barn, and Outbuildings Historic District

This historic district in Franklin includes the house, barn, and other buildings of Christian and Katharina Herschler. It gives us a look into what a farmstead was like long ago.

Old Fort Madison Site

The Old Fort Madison Site is a very important historical spot. It was the first permanent U.S. military fort built on the Upper Mississippi River. It's also on the "Most Endangered" list, showing how special it is.

Historic Barns

The Daniel McConn Barn near Fort Madison is a historic barn.
The John McGreer Barn and Crib near Donnellson is another historic farm building.

Primrose Mill

The Primrose Mill near Primrose is an old mill that is part of the National Register.

Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church

The Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church in Montrose is a Gothic Revival style church built in 1869.

Sharon Cemetery Historic District

The Sharon Cemetery Historic District near Farmington is a historic cemetery that tells stories of the past through its gravestones and layout.

Images for kids

The Albright House in Fort Madison.
The Chief Justice Joseph M. Beck House.
The Cattermole Memorial Library.
The Gen. Samuel R. Curtis House.
The Faeth Farmstead and Orchard District.
The Fort Madison Bridge.
The Old Fort Madison High School.
The towboat GEO. M. VERITY.
The E. H. Harrison House.
The John N. and Mary L. (Rankin) Irwin House.
The C. R. Joy House.
The Keokuk Lock and Dam.
The Keokuk National Cemetery.
The Keokuk Union Depot.
The Keokuk Young Women's Christian Association Building.
The Lee County Courthouse in Fort Madison.
The Daniel McConn Barn.
The Justice Samuel Freeman Miller House.
The Moyce-Steffens House.
A monument at the Old Fort Madison Site.
A view from the Park-to-Park Residential Historic District.
The Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church.
St. John's Episcopal Church and Parish Hall.
St. Mary of the Assumption Church.
St. Peter Church, now known as the Church of All Saints.
The Hugh W. and Sarah Sample House.
The George E. Schlapp House.
The Walter A. Sheaffer House.
A street view in The Park Place-Grand Avenue Residential District.
The U.S. Post Office and Courthouse in Keokuk.
The Alois and Annie Weber House.
The Frank J. Weess House.

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National Register of Historic Places listings in Lee County, Iowa Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.