National Register of Historic Places

Cooley-Whitney House

Decorah, Winneshiek County, Iowa
Listed
January 25, 1980
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
80001461

About this property

The Cooley-Whitney House (also known as the Whitney House) is a historic house located on Grove Street in Decorah, Iowa, United States. The significance of this house is its architectural combination of the Italianate and Neoclassical styles, and its association with two prominent Decorah bankers. It was designed by local architect H. O. Ball, and built in 1867 by Wilson, Robertson & Company, a local contractor. The two-story, brick house features bracketed eaves, a wooden cornice, and a wrap-around bracketed porch. It was built for E. E. Cooley, an attorney who helped establish the First National Bank of Decorah. He was also involved with local politics. After his death in 1895, the house became the home of Lewis B. Whitney. He was the former Winneshiek County Treasurer who was one of the organizers of the National Bank of Decorah. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 25, 1980. It has been converted into a bed and breakfast.

Location

305 Grove St.
Decorah, Winneshiek County, Iowa
43.21251, -91.80108

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Cooley-Whitney House

This page lists Cooley-Whitney House. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

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
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
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.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Cooley-Whitney House report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Jacobson Farm
Industrial
3 mi
Washington Prairie Methodist Church
Industrial
3.4 mi
Calmar Passenger Depot
Industrial
3.8 mi
Ossian Opera House
Industrial
5 mi
Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Combination Depot
Industrial
5.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Cooley-Whitney House listed on the National Register?

Cooley-Whitney House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 25, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Cooley-Whitney House?

Cooley-Whitney House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Cooley-Whitney House?

The period of significance for Cooley-Whitney House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Cooley-Whitney 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 Cooley-Whitney House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Winneshiek County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Winneshiek County.

Explore WinneshiekCounty ›

More historic places in Iowa

Browse all historic places in Iowa.

View Iowahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Iowa history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Iowahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Cooley-Whitney House will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report