Robert William Andrew Feller Farmstead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Robert William Andrew Feller Farmstead
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 29410 340th Trail |
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| Nearest city | Van Meter, Iowa |
| Area | 1.2 acres (0.49 ha) |
| Built | 1940 |
| Architect | John Normile |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival, timber frame |
| NRHP reference No. | 99001570 |
| Added to NRHP | December 17, 1999 |
The Robert William Andrew Feller Farmstead is a special historic place in Dallas County, Iowa, near Van Meter, Iowa. It's famous because it was the childhood home of Bob Feller, a legendary baseball pitcher. Bob Feller is so famous that he's in the Baseball Hall of Fame!
This historic area is about 1.2 acres. The Feller family used to own a much larger farm, about 350 acres. But over time, most of that land was sold. Bob Feller sold the farmstead in 1955. Today, Dr. Jose Angel has owned it since 1994.
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Bob Feller's Childhood Home
The Feller family first bought this farm on January 5, 1866. Bob Feller's grandparents, Andrew and Elizabeth Feller, were the first in the family to own it. Andrew came from Germany, and Elizabeth was from Switzerland. Bob Feller himself was born right here on the farm in November 1918.
Bob learned how to pitch baseball on this very farm. His father, William Andrew Feller, who everyone called Bill, taught him. When Bob was only 8 years old, he threw a baseball so fast and hard that it actually broke three of his dad's ribs!
In 1932, his father Bill built a special baseball field. It was just a quarter-mile east of their farmhouse. This field even had bleachers for fans and a concession stand for snacks! People have called this place the "original Field of Dreams." The field and its home team were named Oakview because of all the oak trees nearby. Sadly, the Oakview field is no longer there. It has been plowed over and is now overgrown.
Bill Feller loved baseball so much that he even changed his farm's crops! He switched from growing corn to wheat. Wheat could be harvested earlier, which gave his son Bob more time to play baseball.
Bob Feller made his big league debut in 1936. He was only 17 years old and played for the Cleveland Indians. Soon, his name was known by millions of fans. He even appeared on the cover of Time magazine in 1937. Bob Feller once said that if he could live any moment of his life again, it would be "Playing catch with my dad between the red barn and the house." The Raccoon River flows about a mile south of the farm.
The Old Red Barn
The red barn on the farmstead was built in 1886. Bob's grandfather, Andrew Feller, built it. This barn is still standing today!
People first noticed Bob Feller's amazing baseball talent when he was just five years old. The spot where his dad, Bill, taught him to pitch is southwest of the barn, between the barn and the house. The pitching mound isn't there anymore, but the ground is still the same. It's still part of the farm. In the winter, they would practice pitching inside the barn to stay warm. The barn was built with strong wooden sides and a metal roof. It had a heavy timber frame, meaning it was built with large wooden beams held together with pegs.
The Feller Family House
The original house on the farm was replaced by a new brick home. Bob Feller had this new house built in 1939–1940 for his parents, William Andrew and Lena C. Feller, and his sister, Marguerite. The architect who designed the house was John Normile from Des Moines, Iowa. He designed it in the Tudor Revival style, which looks a bit like old English homes.
Bob Feller paid a large amount of money for the house back then, about $75,000. The house has mostly stayed the same since it was finished in 1940. Only a breakfast nook and small additions on each side have been added. It has five bedrooms and four bathrooms. Bob's parents lived there until they passed away. His father, Bill, died in 1943, and his mother, Lena, died in 1954. There's also a small shed on the property that was built in the early 1900s. The new house was built northwest of the old one, which was moved to another location.
Farmstead Owners Over Time
The Robert William Andrew Feller Farmstead has had several owners since the Feller family sold it.
- F. M. and Nettie Leffler: Owned it before 1866
- Feller family: Owned it from 1866 to 1955
- Ernest and Thelma Canine: Owned it from 1955 to 1960
- Lyle and Janiece Kellar: Owned it from 1960 to 1963
- Ione S. Houston: Owned it from 1963 to 1965
- A. David and MaryAnn Ostren: Owned it from 1965 to 1976
- Phyllis Briley: Owned it from 1976 to 1994
- Dr. Jose Angel: Has owned it from 1994 to the present
