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 | 1902–1903 |
| 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 between 1902 and 1903. This house is famous because it was the home of an important politician named William Jennings Bryan (who lived from 1860 to 1925). Because of its history, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1963. Today, the house is on the campus of the Bryan Health hospital. It has museum displays about Bryan on the first floor. The upper floors are used by the William Jennings Bryan Institute.
Contents
About the Bryan House
The William Jennings Bryan House is located near the Bryan Health hospital campus. It is a brick building that is one and a half stories tall. The house mixes two old building styles: Classical Revival and Queen Anne Victorian. It has different roof shapes, which is common for the Queen Anne style. There is also a two-story square tower on the front corner. This tower has a pyramid-shaped roof.
The house was designed by Artemus A. Roberts and built in 1902. It was a very popular style in Lincoln at that time. William Jennings Bryan, a politician from the Democratic Party, had the house built. He was very influential during this time.
William Jennings Bryan's Legacy
William Jennings Bryan ran for President of the United States three times. He tried in 1896, 1900, and 1908, but he did not win. He was also known for a very important speech called the Cross of Gold speech. He gave this speech at the Democratic Party Convention in 1896.
Bryan used his house for both his family life and for public events. He often held large gatherings there, including political rallies. Many important political figures of his time visited him at Fairview.
From Home to Hospital
In 1921, Bryan gave his house and about 10 acres of land to the Nebraska Methodist Conference. He wanted it to be used as a hospital. The hospital, now called Bryan Health, has grown a lot since then. It now surrounds the house on two sides. This means the "fair view" that Bryan named the property for is now mostly blocked by other buildings.
At first, the hospital used the house as a place for nurses in training to live. The hospital still owns the building today. However, in 1961, the house was carefully restored. It was made to look like it did when Bryan lived there. It then opened as a museum. The museum was run by the state historical society and a local group called the Junior League.
The house 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, and the Center for Quality.
More to Explore
