Samuel Nichols House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Samuel Nichols House
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | East of Nichols off Iowa Highway 22 |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1869-70 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001247 |
| Added to NRHP | March 31, 1978 |
The Samuel Nichols House is an old home located in the countryside of Muscatine County, Iowa, United States. It's near the town of Nichols. This house has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978, which means it's an important historical site.
History of the Samuel Nichols House
Samuel Nichols moved his family from Ohio to Iowa in the late 1830s. When they first arrived, he built a simple log cabin on this land. This cabin was more than just a home; it also served as a local post office. Sometimes, it even became a small store. This store was helpful for people traveling between Iowa City and Muscatine.
Later, between 1869 and 1870, Samuel Nichols had the current house built. Sadly, he and his wife passed away about a year after the house was finished. The farm stayed in the Nichols family for many years. It was still owned by the family in 1978, when it was recognized as a historic place.
How the Town of Nichols Began
Samuel's son, Benjamin Nichols, founded the nearby town of Nichols in 1871. The town was named after Samuel because he had invested a lot of money in the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railroad. He also gave land for the train station, and the town grew up around this station. Benjamin Nichols first ran a store in the new town. Later, he returned to live and farm at the family home. His son, Townsend, then inherited the farm from him.
What Does the House Look Like?
The Nichols House is a good example of a typical 19th-century farm house. It's built in a style called "vernacular architecture." This means it's a common, local style, rather than a fancy, formal one. The main part of the house is two stories tall and made of brick. It has a single-story section on the back.
The front of the house is five "bays" wide. A "bay" is like a section, usually marked by windows or a door. The main front door is in the middle bay. The porch at the front of the house is not the original one. The roof is a "gable roof," which means it slopes down on two sides, like an upside-down 'V'. There are chimneys at each end of the roof. In the center of the roof, there's a flat area called a "deck." This deck is original to the house, but the railings around it have been replaced over time.
