Faeth Farmstead and Orchard District
National Register of Historic Places

Faeth Farmstead and Orchard District

Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa
Listed
September 15, 2005
Type
District
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
05001020

About this property

The Faeth Farmstead and Orchard District is a nationally recognized historic district located near Fort Madison, Iowa, United States. At the time of its nomination it contained 27 resources, which included 15 contributing buildings, three contributing sites, three contributing structures, and six non-contributing buildings. The contributing buildings include the farm house (c. 1873), the main barn (1882), a stable (c. 1890–1910), a privy, engine house, smokehouse, chicken house, and hog house all from the early 1900s, a shop/crib (c. 1915), a second barn (1925), an apple packing shed (c. 1942), an apple cold storage shed or cooler with loading dock (c. 1950), a truck shed (late 1940s), a garage (1950s) and a machine shed (c. 1960). The contributing structures include a pond that was used for spraying apples (c. 1936), a spray tank/house (1946), and an old section of road. The contributing sites are the three historic orchards. The East Orchard was established before 1874 and it still has remnant older trees. The Old North Orchard was established around the turn of the 20th century, but the trees were primarily planted in the 1970s and the 1980s. The North Orchard was established in 1940-1941 and includes some remnant older trees and replacement trees from the 1970s to the 1990s. The non-contributing buildings are more recently built, or moved here in recent years. The farm was founded by German immigrants Jacob and Elizabeth Faeth in 1842. Mormons encamped near the farm after fleeing Nauvoo, Illinois. Adam Faeth built the existing house and barn. Herb Faeth expanded the orchard; he was close friends with the naturalist Aldo Leopold. Faeth Farm was self-supporting, sustainable farm for decades, and is believed to have the oldest orchard west of the Mississippi. In November, 2008, the farm was divided among four different parties, and much of it is likely to be developed. The core of the farmstead might remain orchard, but the property is still considered one of Iowa's most endangered historic sites.

Location

2469 IA 2
Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa
40.63631, -91.43686

Categories

AGRICULTUREARCHITECTURE
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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Everything a full report reveals about Faeth Farmstead and Orchard District

This page lists Faeth Farmstead and Orchard District. 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
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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.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Herschler, Christian and Katharina, House, Barn and Outbuildings Historic District
Listed
4.5 mi
Presbyterian Church
Industrial
5.7 mi
Moyce-Steffens House
Industrial
5.8 mi
St Mary of the Assumption Church
Industrial
6.3 mi
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Passenger and Freight Complex Historic District
Listed
6.5 mi

Nearby Battles

Fort Madison Siege (1812–1813)
1812Early Republic
4.8 mi
Fort Madison Siege and Evacuation
1813Early Republic
6.2 mi
Fort Madison Siege
1812Early Republic
6.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Faeth Farmstead and Orchard District listed on the National Register?

Faeth Farmstead and Orchard District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 15, 2005.

What type of historic resource is Faeth Farmstead and Orchard District?

Faeth Farmstead and Orchard District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Faeth Farmstead and Orchard District?

The period of significance for Faeth Farmstead and Orchard District is recorded as the civil_war era, specifically around 1873.

Can I research the history near Faeth Farmstead and Orchard District?

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