William Jennings Bryan House (Lincoln, Nebraska) facts for kids
|
William Jennings Bryan House
|
|
_from_S_1.JPG)
Fairview, seen from the south. The buildings on either side are part of Bryan Medical Center.
|
|
 Location in Nebraska
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 4900 Sumner St., Lincoln, Nebraska |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1902–03 |
| Architect | Artemus A. Roberts |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival, Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000947 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | November 6, 1963 |
The William Jennings Bryan House, also called Fairview, is a special old house in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. It was built in 1902 and 1903. This house was the home of a very important politician named William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925).
Because of its history, the house was named a National Historic Landmark in 1963. Today, it is located on the Bryan Health hospital campus. The ground floor of the house has museum displays about Bryan. The upper floors are used by the William Jennings Bryan Institute.
Contents
Exploring the Bryan House
The William Jennings Bryan House is found near the southeast part of the Bryan Health campus. It sits on the north side of Sumner Street. The house is made of brick and is one and a half stories tall.
It mixes two old building styles: Classical Revival and Queen Anne Victorian. You can see different roof shapes, which is common for Queen Anne style. There is a two-story square tower on the front right corner. This tower has a cool, bell-shaped roof. The windows are also different sizes and shapes. One part has a small Palladian window, which is a window with three parts.
The house was built in 1902. It was designed by an architect named Artemus A. Roberts. At that time, this style was very popular in Lincoln.
Who Was William Jennings Bryan?
William Jennings Bryan was a very important Democratic Party politician. He was at the peak of his career when this house was built. He ran for President of the United States three times, but he did not win. He ran in 1896, 1900, and 1908.
Bryan was famous for his powerful speeches. One of his most well-known speeches was the Cross of Gold speech. He gave this speech at the 1896 Democratic Party Convention.
The House's History and Purpose
The Bryan House was used for both private family life and public events. Bryan often hosted many gatherings there. These included political rallies and other public events. He also welcomed many important political leaders of his time to his home.
In 1921, Bryan gave the house and about 10 acres of land to the Nebraska Methodist Conference. He wanted it to be used as a hospital. This hospital is now known as Bryan Health. The hospital has grown a lot and now surrounds the house. This means the "fair view" that Bryan named the property for is now mostly blocked.
At first, the hospital used the house as a place for nurses in training to live. The hospital still owns the building today. In 1961, the house was fixed up to look like it did when Bryan lived there. It then opened as a museum. The state historical society and a local group called the Junior League helped run the museum.
The home was restored again in 1994. The top two floors now house the Wm. Jennings Bryan Institute. This institute has three main parts:
- The Center for Bioethics
- The Center for Advancing Nursing Practice
- The Center for Quality
See also
