Read on for a mini history lesson to learn more about some of the oldest buildings in the state. 

Iowa became the 29th state on December 28, 1846 (thanks to President James K. Polk.) Of course, people had been living in the area long before that. White settlers in what is now called Iowa began building cabins, homes, churches, and places of business and government in the “fields of opportunity” as early as the 1820s, and the Ioway and the Sioux occupied the land before that.

Louis Arriandeaux Log House

Circa 1827, Dubuque

Photo courtesy of National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium.

The oldest known building in the state of Iowa is the Louis Arriandeaux Log House. This modest log cabin also carries the title of the oldest building west of the Mississippi River. Sometimes called the “Settler’s Cabin,” it is believed to have been built before 1828 by French fur trader Louis Arriandeaux.

The cabin features two sides, each with a fireplace, separated by a breezeway, or “dog trot.” It is thought that one side was the residence and the other was used for doing business, a style of cabin that was popular in the south. Originally built on the corner of 2nd and Locust Street in Dubuque, it has been moved twice.

Today, the cabin sits on the grounds at the Mathias Ham Historic Site (another old Iowa home, but in the 1850s) in Eagle Point Park in Dubuque. Self-guided and guided tours are available. 

The Claim House

1832, Davenport

Public domain photo.

Not surprisingly, another old building in the state sprung up along the Mighty Mississippi, this time in Davenport.

The Claim House is said to be the oldest building in Davenport, built in 1832 by George L. Davenport himself to stake his claim on the property (after the Sauk and Meskwaki tribes were forced to surrender their lands.) It is said that Davenport was on friendly terms with the tribes and was given permission to claim the land.

Originally just 18 square feet, the house has been added to over the years and was moved (in 1867) from where it originally stood to where it is today, serving as a private residence.  

Rhodham Bonnifield House

1838, Fairfield

Photo courtesy of Jefferson County Heritage.

By the late 1830s, settlers were getting more creative with their log cabins. The Rhodham Bonnifield House in Fairfield is proof, as it is the first two-story cabin to be built in the state.

Dating back to 1838, it was originally built elsewhere and moved to its current location as part of “Old Settler’s Park,” a memorial park constructed to honor the area’s early pioneers. Interestingly, most log cabin structures that exist in Iowa today were reconstructed on their current sites for preservation purposes.

The Rhodham Bonnifield House, originally also serving as a makeshift Methodist church, has not been used as a residence since 1902. It is believed that Mrs. Rhodham, one of the first inhabitants of the home, had a hand in the naming of the city of Fairfield as well. 

St. Anthony’s Catholic Church

1838, Davenport

Photo courtesy of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church Davenport, IA via Facebook.

Located in downtown Davenport, St. Anthony’s Catholic Church is considered the oldest church building in the state of Iowa that is still in use to this day.

It was the first church congregation organized in the City of Davenport. At that time there were 25 Catholic residents in the town of 100 people. In the early years it served not only as a church but also as a city hall, courthouse, schoolhouse, public forum, and gathering place for the community.

While it once had a school next door that has since been demolished and the building has been added onto over the years, the original part of the church structure (a Latin cross layout built with limestone) remains intact and serves parishioners to this day. 

Fort Atkinson

Circa 1840-1842, Fort Atkinson

Photo courtesy of Iowa DNR.

A visit to Fort Atkinson allows you to check out the structural remains and buildings of a frontier-era U.S. military post. Built between 1840 and 1842, the fort was occupied by soldiers through 1849 as the Winnebago (Ho-Chunk) people were forced from their lands.

While many of the structures are not fully intact, you can visit the site (year-round, although you have to make an appointment to visit the on-site museum) which is managed by the Iowa state park system for its historical significance. You’ll see the wooden and stone stockade encompassing the footprint of the site, and the other remaining buildings including the North Barracks, Northeast Cannon House, Southwest Cannon House, and a Powder Magazine.

Originally, the site included 24 buildings and an 11-foot, 9-inch stockade wall. 

Old Capitol

1842, Iowa City

Photo courtesy of The University of Iowa Pentacrest Museums via Facebook.

Before the state was even officially a state, a stately capitol building was constructed in Iowa City. Once the main government building for Iowa, it is now a signature landmark of the University of Iowa.

The building was originally designed by John F. Rague, who also designed the capitol for the state of Illinois (but he quit halfway through that project). The last four territorial legislatures in the state met in this very building on December 28, 1846, when Iowa was deemed a state and the Iowa constitution was drafted in the building. Ten years later, it was decided the capitol should be moved to Des Moines, and the building became the property of the University of Iowa.

From 1857 to 1863 it housed the entire university. It was later used as office space for the president of the school. It underwent restorations in the 1920s and 1970s, and then again in the 2000s after a fire destroyed the cupola. The signature golden dome was rebuilt and remains a sparkling icon today. It now houses the Old Capitol Museum, which is open regularly for tours. 

Beers and St. John Company Coach Inn

1842, West Liberty

Photo courtesy of Boscophotos/CC BY-SA 3.0.

In the 1840s, West Liberty, Iowa was at a critical juncture for the region. So it was here that the Beers and St. John Company Coach Inn was built.

The company was awarded the U.S. Mail delivery contract between Iowa City and Muscatine, two growing cities at the time. The two-story structure was built as a swing house where the stagecoach drivers and horses were switched.

The railroad arrived in Iowa in 1855, thus depleting the need for the stagecoach inn. It was converted to a residence, which it remained for many years before becoming abandoned and falling into disrepair.

Recently, the building (which was listed on the most endangered property list) was moved via tractor-trailer bed from one side of town to the other so that it can be restored and reopened as a museum in the not-so-distant future. 

Stone Academy

1842, Solon

Photo courtesy of Billwhittaker/CC BY-SA 3.0.

As you drive along Highway 1 just outside of Solon, you may notice a small, limestone building that looks like a one-room schoolhouse. And that’s exactly what it was.

First built in 1842, this schoolhouse was the primary location for educating pioneer students for more than a century. If you visit on a Sunday afternoon between Memorial Day and Labor Day you can even go inside the school to step back in time. Private tours can also be arranged.

The building has been lovingly preserved (having its roof replaced in 1976 when it was blown off by a tornado) since closing in 1953. 

Thomas F. and Nancy Tuttle House

1843, Pella

The Tuttle Cabin is a special landmark in Pella, a town that knows how to honor its history. Originally built in 1843, this one-room (or “single-pen”) home is considered to be the birthplace of the city of Pella, when Dutch colonists negotiated for the home to be the site of their new settlement. Tuttle built the cabin himself at the age of 36.

It is made of square-hewn walnut logs about 6 x 6 inches and was likely intended as a first home until a larger home was built. But this meager cabin served as a family residence up until 1973, more than 170 years! Today the home is owned and operated by the Historic Pella Trust and it is open occasionally for viewing. 

Potter’s Mill

1843, Bellevue

Photo courtesy of Jesster79/CC BY-SA 3.0.

Situated on the banks of the Mississippi River is Potter’s Mill. Now a restaurant, this substantial building is the oldest grist mill in the state of Iowa.

Elbridge Gerry Potter came to Bellevue to open a flour mill. When it was first constructed, it cost $40,000. It was fully operational by 1845 and continued milling flour (through several changes of ownership) up until 1969. In the 1980s, the building was sold and restoration work began to convert the mill into a restaurant, event space, and bed and breakfast.

Unfortunately, Flatted Fifth, the popular restaurant that operated in the building for years, decided to close its doors at the end of 2023. But a new establishment, The Tavern at Potter’s Mill, recently opened and it continues to serve great food and drinks and offer up live entertainment. 

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.