R. Bruce and May W. Louden House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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R. Bruce and May W. Louden House
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 501 W. Adams Ave. Fairfield, Iowa |
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| Built | 1905 |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| MPS | Louden Machinery Company, Fairfield Iowa MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 99000124 |
| Added to NRHP | September 12, 2003 |
The R. Bruce and May W. Louden House is a historic home in Fairfield, Iowa, United States. It was built in 1905 for R. Bruce and May W. Louden. The house was first designed in the Colonial Revival style. Later, in 1928, its inside was updated with an Art Deco look.
The Louden family lived in the house until 1948. In the 1960s, the house was divided into apartments. Today, it is recognized as an important historical building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.
Contents
Meet R. Bruce Louden
R. Bruce Louden was an important person in Fairfield. He was the third president of the Louden Machinery Company from 1940 to 1951. This company was very close to his home, which was common for factory owners back then.
Louden Machinery Company's Role
During World War II, the Louden Machinery Company played a big part in helping American industries. They made special equipment for factories. One of their secret projects was building the assembly line for the world's first atomic bomb. They also helped build parts for the B-29 bomber planes.
The atomic bomb project was so secret that R. Bruce Louden himself was not told about it. His vice president worked with the Manhattan Project on this top-secret job.
A Company with a History
The Louden Machinery Company was once one of the biggest makers of farm equipment in the world. It was also the largest shipper on the Rock Island Railroad. The company's founder, William Louden, was a brilliant inventor. He created many useful things. His most famous invention was a system using pulleys on a monorail to move hay inside barns. This was the first successful monorail system ever sold!
The Billy Sunday Connection
In 1907, a very famous speaker named Billy Sunday held a big event in Fairfield. This event, called a revival, took place right next to the Louden home.
Who Was Billy Sunday?
Billy Sunday was born in Ames, Iowa. Before he became a famous speaker, he was a professional baseball player! He played for teams like the Chicago White Stockings, the Pittsburgh Alleghenys, and the Philadelphia Phillies. He even had a perfect (0.00) earned run average (ERA) in his last season with Pittsburgh.
In 1890, he left his baseball career to become a minister. He became known for his powerful speeches. It is said that he spoke to over 100 million people during his career, long before TV or radio were common.
The Fairfield Revival
For his events, Billy Sunday would often build a special wooden building called a "tabernacle." It was like a big barn with wooden benches and a floor covered in sawdust. This building served as both the meeting place and a way to get people talking about the event.
During the Fairfield revival, many people attended. Records show that 1,018 people came forward during the week-long event. After the revival, the tabernacle was moved and rebuilt in Chautauqua Park. It was used by the community for many years until a strong windstorm destroyed it in the 1930s. The wood from the ruined tabernacle was then used to build the gazebo in the center of the city square. So, the Fairfield Revival Gazebo still stands there today!
House Restoration
Over the years, the R. Bruce and May W. Louden House has been carefully restored. Bob Krause and his late wife Maryann Mills-Krause began the restoration work. Later, Bob Krause and his current wife, Vicky Matthiessen Krause, continued the efforts to preserve this historic home.
