Porter House Museum

Historic house in Iowa, United States

United States historic place

Ellsworth-Porter House

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

U.S. Historic district
Contributing property

The Ellsworth-Porter House, home of the Porter House Museum

Location in Iowa

Location| 401 W. Broadway, Decorah, Iowa
Coordinates| 43°18′08″N 91°47′24″W﻿ / ﻿43.3021°N 91.7900°W﻿ / 43.3021; -91.7900
Built| 1867
Architectural style| Italianate
Part of| Broadway–Phelps Park Historic District (ID76000813)
NRHP reference No.| 75000702
Added to NRHP| August 6, 1975

The Porter House Museum is a house and museum in Decorah, Iowa.[1][2][3] It was the home of Adelbert Field Porter (1879–1968) and his wife, Grace Young Porter (1880–1964), as well as Grace's mother and father, until their deaths. On August 6, 1975, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places (as the Ellsworth-Porter House).[4][5]

The house is built in the Italianate style and is located at 401 W. Broadway in Decorah.[4] It is within the Broadway–Phelps Park Historic District, also listed in the National Register of Historic Places.[6]

## History

[edit]

The house was built in 1867 for the merchant Dighton B. Ellsworth (1822–1896), an English immigrant who had come to Decorah from New York in 1855. In 1898, after his death, the Ellsworth family sold the house to Francis and Emma Young. In 1904, their daughter Grace married Adelbert Field Porter (known as "Bert"), who was raised in the house across the street on Broadway, the son of George Porter and Adell Field Porter. The Young residence became the home of Bert and Grace, as well as of Francis and Emma Young, until their deaths. Bert and Grace had no children.[7]

## Museum

[edit]

In 1966, Porter deeded the house to the Winneshiek County Historical Society as a site for a museum, and the museum was opened to the public for the first time in 1969. In 1980, it became an independent organization, run by a board of directors.[8]

## Collection

[edit]

Bert and Grace Porter had an interest in travel, and Bert developed a natural history collection on his trips through North America, South America, and Asia. His collection, which includes morpho butterflies from South America, also includes the rock wall surrounding the property (built in part by Bert Porter) and the family's personal effects, including papers, books, furniture, and china.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Pohlen, J. (2005). Oddball Iowa: A Guide to Some Really Strange Places. Oddball Series. Chicago Review Press, Incorporated. p. 73\. ISBN 978-1-56976-468-8.
2. ^ Rice, L.R. (2009). Explorer's Guide Iowa. Explorer's Complete. Countryman Press. p. 196\. ISBN 978-0-88150-833-8.
3. ^ Erickson, L. (2010). Iowa Off the Beaten Path: A Guide to Unique Places. Off the Beaten Path Series. Globe Pequot Press. p. 186\. ISBN 978-0-7627-6561-4.
4. ^ a b "NRHP nomination form: Ellsworth-Porter House" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service. June 9, 1975. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
5. ^ Ream, M. (2012). Backroads & Byways of Iowa: Drives, Day Trips and Weekend Excursions. Backroads & Byways. Countryman Press. p. 83\. ISBN 978-1-58157-793-8.
6. ^ "NRHP nomination form: Broadway – Phelps Park Historic District" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service. August 23, 1975. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
7. ^ "The Inhabitants". Porter House Museum. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
8. ^ "History of the Museum". Porter House Museum. Retrieved August 16, 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Porter House Museum \- official site

* v
* t
* e

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Topics|

* Architectural style categories
* Contributing property
* Historic district
* History of the National Register of Historic Places
* Keeper of the Register
* National Park Service
* Property types

Lists by state|

* List of U.S. National Historic Landmarks by state:
* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Delaware
* Florida
* Georgia
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maine
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Mississippi
* Missouri
* Montana
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New Jersey
* New Mexico
* New York
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Utah
* Vermont
* Virginia
* Washington
* West Virginia
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

Lists by insular areas|

* American Samoa
* Guam
* Minor Outlying Islands
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Puerto Rico
* Virgin Islands

Lists by associated state|

* Federated States of Micronesia
* Marshall Islands
* Palau

Other areas|

* District of Columbia
* American Legation, Morocco

Related|

* National Historic Preservation Act
* Historic Preservation Fund
* List of jails and prisons on the National Register of Historic Places
* University and college buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places

* National Register of Historic Places portal
* Category

* v
* t
* e

National Register of Historic Places in Winneshiek County, Iowa

Bluffton|

* Gilliece Bridge
* Upper Bluffton Bridge

Burr Oak|

* Burr Oak House/Masters Hotel
* Burr Oak Savings Bank
* Kinney Octagon Barn

Calmar|

* Calmar Passenger Depot

Decorah|

* Birdsall Lime Kiln
* Broadway-Phelps Park Historic District
* Cooley-Whitney House
* Decorah Commercial Historic District
* Decorah Ice Cave
* Decorah Municipal Bathhouse and Swimming Pool
* Decorah Woolen Mill
* Ellsworth-Porter House
* Highlandville School
* Horn House
* Jacobson Farm
* Koren Library
* Locust School
* Luther College Campus Historic District
* Luther College Farm
* Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Combination Depot
* Norris Miller House
* Painter-Bernatz Mill
* Steyer Bridge
* Steyer Opera House
* Ten Mile Creek Bridge
* Washington Prairie Methodist Church

Fort Atkinson|

* Fort Atkinson Bridge
* Fort Atkinson Historic District

Frankville|

* Frankville School

Jackson Junction|

* Lawrence Bridge

Ossian|

* Ossian Opera House

Spillville|

* Wenzil Taylor Building

See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Winneshiek County, Iowa and List of National Historic Landmarks in Iowa
*[No.]: number
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template