William Suiter House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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William Suiter House
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 227 Wisconsin Le Claire, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1855 |
| MPS | Houses of Mississippi River Men TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003708 |
| Added to NRHP | April 13, 1979 |
The William Suiter House is an old and important building in Le Claire, Iowa, United States. It was built way back in 1855. This house is so special that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. This list helps protect buildings that are important to American history.
The William Suiter House is also part of a group called the Houses of Mississippi River Men Thematic Resource. This group includes homes of brave men from Le Claire who worked on the mighty Mississippi River. They were riverboat captains, pilots, builders, and even owners of riverboats.
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Who Was William Suiter?
William Suiter was a very important person in Le Claire. He was part of a family that worked on the river for three generations. William was born in 1826. His father, Phillip Suiter, was one of the first people to settle in Le Claire. Phillip was also a river pilot.
William started working on the river as a raft hand. This meant he helped guide rafts of logs down the river. By the time he was 21, William became a skilled river pilot. He worked as a pilot for almost 40 years!
Suiter Family and the Railroad
William Suiter had three sons: Mordecai, William, and Charles. Interestingly, his sons did not follow him onto the river. Instead, they all went to work for the railroad. The railroad was becoming a new and important way to travel and move goods. It slowly replaced steamboats as the main type of transportation in the area.
What Does the House Look Like?
The William Suiter House is a simple but classic building. It has two stories and is made of wood. The front of the house has three sections, or "bays." The roof is gently sloped, which is called a shallow gable roof.
House Design and Features
The house has a traditional layout inside. It has a main hallway in the center. The front door is right in the middle of the house. It has narrow windows on either side, called sidelights. A small gable roof covers the main entrance, protecting it from rain.
The windows on the house have a classic look. Each window has six small panes of glass on the top and six on the bottom. These windows are set in flat, simple frames. Some newer parts have been added to the back of the house. These additions are made of wood and concrete blocks.
