National Register of Historic Places

Catalpa

Greenfield, Adair County, Iowa
Listed
November 13, 1974
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
74000776

About this property

Catalpa, generally known as Wallace Farm, is a historic farm located near the small city of Orient, Iowa, United States. It is associated with Henry Cantwell Wallace, who owned and operated the influential agricultural publication Wallaces' Farmer, and served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture (1921-1924). It is also associated with his son, Henry Agard Wallace, who followed his father at the newspaper and served as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture (1933-1940), Vice President of the United States (1941-1945) and U.S. Secretary of Commerce (1945-1946). He was the Progressive Party candidate for president in 1948. This was one of several farms owned by the Rev. Henry Wallace, Henry Cantwell's father. It was acquired by the family in 1877, and it was operated by a tenant farmer until Henry "Harry" Cantwell took it over. His son, Henry Agard, was born here in 1888. After five years, Harry returned to his studies at Iowa State University in Ames and the family left the farm at that time. Catalpa was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 (as "southeast of Greenfield). The designation includes the farmhouse and outbuildings, which are modest frame structures with gable roofs, and a 200-acre (81 ha) plot of farmland. The house and barn were built before the Wallaces moved here in 1887.

Location

Greenfield, Adair County, Iowa
41.23473, -94.36387

Categories

AGRICULTUREPOLITICS/GOVERNMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

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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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Warren Opera House Block and Hetherington Block
Industrial
6.9 mi
Adair County Democrat-Adair County Free Press Building
Industrial
6.9 mi
Hotel Greenfield
Industrial
6.9 mi
Adair County Courthouse
Industrial
6.9 mi
Drake, John and Amanda Bigler, House
Industrial
9.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Catalpa listed on the National Register?

Catalpa was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 13, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Catalpa?

Catalpa is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Catalpa?

The period of significance for Catalpa is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Catalpa?

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