National Register of Historic Places

Douglas, George B., House

Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa
Listed
September 8, 1982
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82002628

About this property

The George B. Douglas House, which later became known as Turner Mortuary East, is owned today by The History Center, Linn County Historical Society. This historic building located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States. The house was built for Douglas who was a partner in a cereal mill that became the Quaker Oats Company. David Turner bought the property in 1924 and converted the house into a funeral home. He was a patron of regionalist artist Grant Wood, and Turner leased the carriage house to him from 1924 to 1933. Wood used it as his residence, along with his mother, and as a studio. It was here at #5 Turner Alley that he painted two of his most famous paintings, American Gothic (1930) and Stone City (1930). Wood also worked as a decorator when he lived here and designed the interior of the main house when it was converted into a funeral home. His work included two stained glass windows that flank the main entrance. Several Wood paintings also hung in the funeral home. The house is a 2½-story, brick Georgian Revival structure. It features a symmetrical facade and a hipped roof with three gable dormers. The symmetry, however, was undone by the addition built onto the northeast side. It was designed by local architect Bruce McKay and Grant Wood. Wood is thought to have designed the bay window for the first-floor chapel. Other additions were built onto the back of the structure. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Location

800 2nd Ave., SE
Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa
41.98217, -91.66103

Categories

ARTARCHITECTURE
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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Nearby Historic Sites

Ausadie Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
First Universalist Church of Cedar Rapids
Industrial
0.2 mi
Consistory Building No. 2
Industrial
0.2 mi
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church
Industrial
0.2 mi
Brewer, Luther A. and Elinore T., House
Industrial
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Douglas, George B., House listed on the National Register?

Douglas, George B., House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 8, 1982.

What type of historic resource is Douglas, George B., House?

Douglas, George B., House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Douglas, George B., House?

The period of significance for Douglas, George B., House is recorded as the industrial era.

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