Samuel Van Sant House facts for kids
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Samuel Van Sant House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 322 N. Cody Rd. Le Claire, Iowa |
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| Built | 1860 |
| Part of | Cody Road Historic District (ID79000943) |
| MPS | Houses of Mississippi River Men TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003711 |
| Added to NRHP | April 13, 1979 |
The Samuel Van Sant House is an old and important building in Le Claire, Iowa, USA. It was built in 1860. This house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. This means it's a special place recognized for its history.
This house is part of a group of homes called the Houses of Mississippi River Men Thematic Resource. These homes belonged to men from Le Claire who worked on the Mississippi River. They were riverboat captains, pilots, builders, and boat owners. The Samuel Van Sant House is also a key part of the Cody Road Historic District.
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Samuel Van Sant: River Innovator and Governor
Samuel Van Sant was a very important person. His father, J.W. Van Sant, ran the boatyards in Le Claire. These boatyards were called the Le Claire Marine Railway.
Revolutionizing River Travel
Samuel and his friend John Smith created a new type of boat. They called it a raftboat. It was named the J.W. Van Sant after Samuel's father. This boat was designed to push large rafts of lumber down the river. The lumber came from northern forests and went to mills further south.
Their invention changed how logs and lumber were moved on the Mississippi River. It made transportation much easier and faster. They also invented the bowboat. This was a small boat with a paddlewheel at the back. It was placed at the front of the lumber raft. The bowboat helped steer the large raft, giving more control.
From River to Politics
In the 1880s, Samuel Van Sant moved to Minnesota. There, he became involved in politics. He was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives. This is where laws are made for the state. He even served as the Speaker of the House. This means he was the leader of the representatives.
Later, Samuel Van Sant became the state's governor. This is the highest elected position in a state. He went from being a river innovator to a leader in state government.
House Design and Features
The Samuel Van Sant House is a one-and-a-half-story building. It is made of wood, with narrow horizontal boards on the outside. These boards are called clapboards.
Unique Shape and Details
The house has an L-shape design. It has a wide front gable, which is the triangular part of the wall under the roof. The main roofline runs parallel to the street. There is also a large triangular wall dormer in the center. This dormer sticks out from the roof on the long part of the "L" shape.
The windows of the house have flat frames around them. Above each window, there is a shallow triangular shape. This is called a pediment. A simple wooden porch is located in the corner of the "L" shape. This porch was added to the house later on.
