Old Mill House

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.[1] 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.[2] It is also a contributing property in the Cody Road Historic District.[3]

Old Mill House
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Location	419 N. Cody Rd. Le Claire, Iowa
Coordinates	41°35′6″N 90°20′36″W
Area	less than one acre
Built	1851
Architectural style	Greek Revival
Part of	Cody Road Historic District (ID79000943)
MPS	Houses of Mississippi River Men TR
NRHP reference No.	79003703[1]
Added to NRHP	April 13, 1979

History

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.[4] 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.

Architecture

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.[4] 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.

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
2. "Houses of Mississippi River Men Thematic Resource". United States Park Service. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
3. M.H. Bowers. "NRHP Inventory-Nomination: Cody Road Historic District". National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
4. M.H. Bowers. "NRHP Inventory-Nomination: Old Mill House". National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-04-10. with photo