About this property
The Muscatine Avenue Moffitt Cottage Historic District is a National Register of Historic Places district that includes five stone cottages in Iowa City epitomizing the eccentric vernacular architectural style of Howard Moffitt. Moffitt constructed more than 100 houses in Iowa City and Coralville, Iowa, and a few in Citrus City, Texas. These small houses represent one of the regional 20th-century vernacular architectural styles in the United States. Howard Moffitt was a prolific builder. Howard Francis Moffitt was a prolific builder, constructing between 100 and 200 homes in Iowa City and Coralville between 1924 and 1943. With no formal training in construction or architecture, Moffitt began building homes as a side business from his auto parts distributorship. Moffitt's house designs appear to have been concocted from magazine photos, consultation with friends, limitations of available building supplies, and whimsy. In 1943 Moffitt moved to Citrus City, Texas, and attempted to reproduce his success there, however only seven or eight houses were built in Texas. Moffitt's Iowa City houses appear to be a response to increasing demand for affordable small houses, especially rental houses, in the growing university town. Built-in small garages (uncommon in such small houses) Copious use of recycled material (trolley track rails used as main supports; chair backs used as decoration; reused brick, stone, timber, barnboard, and nails). An exterior mix of shingle, stone, brick, stucco, and wood siding, often on the same structure; brick and stone often laid in irregular or whimsical patterns; cladding is often patchwork. Structural problems such as bowed floors and plumbing and electrical work encased in plaster Use of a cellulosic insulation treated to be fireproof Concrete aggregates that include found stone and broken glass == Gallery of Moffitt houses in Iowa City, Iowa == Media related to Muscatine Avenue Moffitt Cottage Historic District at Wikimedia Commons
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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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Questions about this property
When was Muscatine Avenue Moffitt Cottage Historic District listed on the National Register?
Muscatine Avenue Moffitt Cottage Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 3, 1993.
What type of historic resource is Muscatine Avenue Moffitt Cottage Historic District?
Muscatine Avenue Moffitt Cottage Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Muscatine Avenue Moffitt Cottage Historic District?
The period of significance for Muscatine Avenue Moffitt Cottage Historic District is recorded as the listed era.
Can I research the history near Muscatine Avenue Moffitt Cottage Historic District?
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