Beck, Chief Justice Joseph M., House
About this property
Chief Justice Joseph M. Beck House is a historic building located in Fort Madison, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. In 2014 it was included as a contributing property in the Park-to-Park Residential Historic District. Joseph M. Beck moved to Fort Madison in 1850. He was a locally prominent lawyer who was elected mayor and county attorney. In addition to the law, he was also involved in banking, railroad development, and organizing First Baptist Church. Initially a Whig, he helped establish the Republican Party. Beck served as a justice of the Iowa Supreme Court from 1868 to 1891. For five of those years he served as chief justice. On the court he was a supporter of civil rights for Blacks and the prohibition of alcohol. The two-story brick house sits on a corner lot. The Beck family owned the property from 1859 to 1937 when it was sold to the Napier family. The house was built in 1869. The structure portrays the influences of the Gothic Revival, Italianate, and the Romanesque Revival styles. The first two are strongly invoked in the high pitch of the north facade's gable, the elaborate verge boards, and the bracketed eaves at the cornice. The round arch windows are from the Romanesque Revival style. The house is painted in the same red hue as its original surface.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Beck, Chief Justice Joseph M., House listed on the National Register?
Beck, Chief Justice Joseph M., House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 20, 1988.
What type of historic resource is Beck, Chief Justice Joseph M., House?
Beck, Chief Justice Joseph M., House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Beck, Chief Justice Joseph M., House?
The period of significance for Beck, Chief Justice Joseph M., House is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Beck, Chief Justice Joseph M., House?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Beck, Chief Justice Joseph M., House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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