Homestead Building
About this property
The Homestead Building, also known as the Martin Hotel, is a historic building in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Designed by the Des Moines architectural firm of Smith & Gage, it was built in two stages. The eastern one-third was completed in 1893 and the western two-thirds were completed in 1905. It is one of a few late-19th-century commercial/industrial buildings that remain in the downtown area. The building was built for James M. Pierce for his publishing operation, which included the Iowa Homestead, a pioneer publication of modern agricultural journalism. Prior to Pierce, the Iowa Homestead publisher was Henry Wallace, the father of Agriculture Secretary Henry C. Wallace, and grandfather of U.S. Vice President Henry A. Wallace. "Through the efforts of Pierce and Wallace the Iowa Homestead became known for its promotion of the rotation of crops, the use of better seed, the value of more and better livestock, the importance of an attractive home and a good home life, the value of farmers banding together to protect common interests, and the care of the soil and conservation of its resources." The four-story brick commercial block has strong Richardsonian Romanesque qualities. The east and south elevations have hard, face brick in two shades of red given the two construction dates. The north and west elevations have common brick. Each series of arched windows on the third floor is accented with corbeled bands of brick and capped with a dentate cornice. There is also dentate cornice and parapet wall at the top of the east and south elevations, and a flat roof that caps the building. It was converted into a hotel in 1916, and two storefronts were added either in the 1940s or the 1950s. The original arched entrance on the east elevation was also removed. The storefronts have subsequently been removed, and the building now houses offices. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
Location
Categories
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.
Everything a full report reveals about Homestead Building
This page lists Homestead Building. 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:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Homestead Building listed on the National Register?
Homestead Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 5, 1982.
What type of historic resource is Homestead Building?
Homestead Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Homestead Building?
The period of significance for Homestead Building is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Homestead Building?
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 Homestead Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Polk County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Polk County.
Explore PolkCounty ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Homestead Building will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.