National Register of Historic Places

Old Mill House

Le Claire, Scott County, Iowa
Listed
April 12, 1979
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
79003703

About this property

The Old Mill House is an historic property located in Le Claire, Iowa, United States. The Greek Revival style residence has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979. The property is part of the Houses of Mississippi River Men Thematic Resource, which covers the homes of men from LeClaire who worked on the Mississippi River as riverboat captains, pilots, builders and owners. It is also a contributing property in the Cody Road Historic District. Alfred Jansen built this house in 1851. It, and the adjoining boatyards, were acquired by J.W. Van Sant about 1865. Van Sant began his river career as a ship carpenter and boat builder in Rock Island, Illinois in the 1840s. He moved to Le Claire in 1862 to take over the boatyards established by the Davenport and Rogers Co. The yards took up about two blocks along the river and employed about 100 men who built and repaired boats. Van Sant's son Sam found success with his raftboat, the J.W. Van Sant, so the yards produced a number of them, including the D.A. McDonald, the Le Claire Belle and the Silver Wave. Several of the boats were owned and operated by the Van Sant's through the Van Sant-Musser Navigation Co. The Old Mill House is a two-story, five-bay clapboard structure built on a stone foundation. It is a fine example of the Greek Revival style. It features a symmetrical facade, a handsome door frame on the main entrance, and a gable roof with a pair of chimneys near the ridge of the roof. The main entrance is located in the center bay. It has a wide door enframement flanked by sidelights and a transom. Because the house is built on a sloping lot the basement on the river side of the house is exposed.

Location

419 N. Cody Rd.
Le Claire, Scott County, Iowa
41.60163, -90.34348

Categories

TRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Old Mill House

This page lists Old Mill House. 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
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
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.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Old Mill House report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Rambo House
Industrial
0 mi
Van Sant, Samuel, House
Industrial
0.1 mi
McCaffrey House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Kattenbracher House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Cody Road Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Old Mill House listed on the National Register?

Old Mill House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 12, 1979.

What type of historic resource is Old Mill House?

Old Mill House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Old Mill House?

The period of significance for Old Mill House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Old Mill House?

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 Old Mill House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Scott County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Scott County.

Explore ScottCounty ›

More historic places in Iowa

Browse all historic places in Iowa.

View Iowahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Iowa history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Iowahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Old Mill House will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report