National Register of Historic Places

Gibbs, E. H., House

Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa
Listed
December 13, 1991
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
91001761

About this property

The E. H. Gibbs House (also known as "The Elms at Ridge Place" and "Griffith Hall"), was built in 1903 in Oskaloosa, Iowa. It was designed by Frank E. Wetherell in Classical Revival architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. E. H. Gibbs settled in town in 1869 and became a prominent member of the community. He was a banker, real estate developer, founder of an insurance company, and a developer of a coal mine. He helped to bring the railroad to town, and founded the Oskaloosa Times and served as its first editor. Gibbs hired Oskaloosa architect Wetherell to design the house, which was completed in 1903. It was the third large commission Wetherell had received in a three-year period; the other two being St. James Episcopal Church and the Oskaloosa Public Library. Known contemporaneously as "The Elms at Ridge Place," the two-story brick house replaced a frame house at the same location, which had been the family farm. The E. H. Gibbs house architecture demonstrated Wetherell's continued interest in neoclassical detailing, but was his first executed in brick. Wetherell relocated to Des Moines, Iowa three years after the house was completed. The Gibbs family gave the house to neighboring William Penn University, where it was renamed Griffith Hall. It was used for offices and music rooms. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 13, 1991. The building has subsequently been torn down.

Location

Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa
41.30857, -92.64504

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.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Penn College Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Berry, Dr. William E. and Ethel Rosenberger, House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Stranahan, Prof. Edgar H. and Irene D., House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Klose, Dr. William H. and Mae R., House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Pierson-Betts House
Industrial
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Gibbs, E. H., House listed on the National Register?

Gibbs, E. H., House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 13, 1991.

What type of historic resource is Gibbs, E. H., House?

Gibbs, E. H., House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Gibbs, E. H., House?

The period of significance for Gibbs, E. H., House is recorded as the industrial era.

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