Plum Grove Historic House - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Historic house

A historic house can be a stately home, the birthplace of a famous person, or a house with an interesting history or architecture.- Background :...

located in Iowa City, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. Plum Grove was the retirement home of Gov. Robert Lucas

Robert Lucas (governor)

Robert Lucas was the 12th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio, serving from 1832 to 1836. He served as the first Governor of Iowa Territory from 1838 to 1841.-Early life:...

and the childhood home of the author Eleanor Hoyt Brainerd

Eleanor Hoyt Brainerd

Eleanor Hoyt Brainerd was an American author of the early 20th century. She published at least 10 novels, mostly written for young women.- Childhood :...

. Built in 1844, Lucas lived there with his wife, Friendly, and several children and grandchildren. Lucas died at Plum Grove in 1853, and his family moved out by 1866.

Subsequent owners include the Hoyt family, who were associated with the Eleutherian College

Eleutherian College

A U.S. National Historic Landmark, Eleutherian College, founded in 1848 as Eleutherian Institute, was the first college in Indiana to admit students without regard to race or sex. It is now a public museum....

, and Plum Grove was the birthplace of Eleanor Hoyt Brainerd

Eleanor Hoyt Brainerd

Eleanor Hoyt Brainerd was an American author of the early 20th century. She published at least 10 novels, mostly written for young women.- Childhood :...

in 1868. The house was subsequently occupied by the family of Jacob Carroll Switzer, a Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

hero, and then by a number of immigrant and impoverished families. It was bought by the state of Iowa in 1943 and refurbished as a monument to Lucas. The house is maintained by the Johnson County Historical Society, but owned by the State Historical Society of Iowa

State Historical Society of Iowa

The State Historical Society of Iowa , a division of the , serves as the official historical repository for the State of Iowa and also provides grants, public education, and outreach about Iowa history and archaeology. The SHSI maintains a museum, library, archives, and research center in Des...

Hours:

Memorial Day through Labor Day

Wednesday though Sunday

1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Labor Day through October 31

Saturday and Sunday

1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and by group appointment

Contact:

For more information or to schedule a group tour, contact the local manager at:

Leigh Ann Jero

Johnson County Historical Society

P.O. Box 5081

Coralville, Iowa 52241

Telephone: 319-351-5738

Archaeology

The grounds have been the focus of archaeological research since 1974, documenting Iowa frontier history and changes in farming from 1844 until 1943. Most of this work has been led by Thomas Charlton of the University of Iowa

University of Iowa

The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...

's Department of Anthropology. Previous excavations have uncovered house additions, outbuildings, and a large trench full of butchered animal bones.

The linked PowerPoint presents results of archaeological excavations in 1978:

A Reevaluation of Early Commercial Food Production in Eastern Iowa

External links

Plum Grove Historic Farm
Plum Grove Historic Site - State Historical Society of Iowa

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