Ned Ashton House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ned Ashton House
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View from the northwest
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 820 Park Rd. Iowa City, Iowa |
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| Area | 2.2 acres (0.89 ha) |
| Built | 1948 |
| Architect | Edward L. Ashton |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement |
| NRHP reference No. | 88000927 and 00001677 |
| Added to NRHP | January 26, 2001 |
The Ned Ashton House is a special home in Iowa City, Iowa. It is also known as the Edward L. Ashton House. This house was built between 1947 and 1948. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. This means it is an important historical place.
Meet Ned Ashton, the Engineer
The house was built in 1947 for Edward L. "Ned" Ashton and his family. Ned Ashton was a very important person. Many people called him "the most distinguished bridge engineer in the history of Iowa."
He taught civil engineering at the University of Iowa from 1943 to 1957. Ned Ashton designed many bridges. Some of these bridges cross the huge Mississippi River. He also designed smaller bridges like the Benton Street Bridge. He was a leader in making new kinds of bridges using welded metal plates.
What Makes the House Special?
The Ned Ashton House is a single-story ranch house. It is made from strong stone and concrete. The house shows ideas from the Prairie School style of architecture. This style tries to make buildings fit in with the land around them.
The house was built right next to the Iowa River. Both the main floor and the lower level of the house offer amazing views of the river.
Flooding and Iowa City's Plan
The lower part of the Ashton House has been flooded two times. It was flooded during the Great Flood of 1993. It was also flooded during the Iowa flood of 2008. The 2008 flood caused a lot of damage to the house. Experts estimated the repairs would cost about $177,000.
After the 2008 flood, Iowa City started buying homes that were damaged by the water. By October 2011, the city had bought the Ashton House. The city bought almost all the nearby houses by mid-2012.
Iowa City plans to keep and protect the Ned Ashton House. They want to rent it out for events. People might use it for meetings or parties.
