National Register of Historic Places

Irwin, John N. and Mary L. (Rankin), House

Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa
Listed
October 13, 1999
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
99001206

About this property

The John N. and Mary L. (Rankin) Irwin House is a historic building located in Keokuk, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. In 2002 it was included as a contributing property in The Park Place-Grand Avenue Residential District. The house was originally built by James F. Daugherty who bought the property from Judge Charles Mason in 1856. Its historical significance is its association with John N. Irwin. He was a lawyer and local businessman who served two terms in the Iowa House of Representatives, five terms as mayor of Keokuk, territorial governor of the Idaho Territory, and the Arizona Territory. He also served as the U.S. minister to Portugal. Irwin bought the house and raised his family here with his wife Mary after his time in Idaho. He lived here until he died in 1905. This is the oldest house in The Park Place-Grand Avenue Residential District. It reflects a combination of architectural styles, namely Greek Revival, Italianate, and Neoclassical. It is not known what the house looked like when it was originally built, but it is thought the Greek Revival elements on the lower part of the house may be an indicator of its style. The 2½-story structure is composed of brick with a limestone foundation and a hip roof with a bracketed cornice. A large dormer with a Palladian window is located in the center of the main facade. The front porch is not original and is thought to date to the turn of the 20th century. Other changes were made during Irwin's ownership. A ballroom was located at the top of the house, but on warm summer evenings the parties were moved to the backyard, which was all brick at the time. It has subsequently been landscaped. The house is located at the crest of a bluff that overlooks the Mississippi River and Lock and Dam No. 19.

Location

633 Grand Ave.
Keokuk, Lee County, Iowa
40.40140, -91.37622

Categories

POLITICS/GOVERNMENT
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

Weber, Alois and Annie, House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Joy, C. R., House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Belknap, Gen. William Worth, House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Miller, Justice Samuel Freeman, House
Industrial
0.3 mi
The Park Place-Grand Avenue Residential District
Modern
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Black Hawk War: Battle of Fort Hamilton Illinois 1832
1832Early Republic
2.1 mi
Skirmish at Yellow Creek
1862Civil War
10.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Irwin, John N. and Mary L. (Rankin), House listed on the National Register?

Irwin, John N. and Mary L. (Rankin), House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 13, 1999.

What type of historic resource is Irwin, John N. and Mary L. (Rankin), House?

Irwin, John N. and Mary L. (Rankin), House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Irwin, John N. and Mary L. (Rankin), House?

The period of significance for Irwin, John N. and Mary L. (Rankin), House is recorded as the industrial era.

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