John Deere House
Encyclopedia
The John Deere House is an historic building located in Moline, Illinois
, United States
. The house, which is associated with industrialist John Deere, sits on the edge of a high bluff overlooking the Mississippi River
Valley and the urban landscape below. It was declared a Moline Historic Landmark in 2002, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2003.
Deere made two unique innovations to the house in the process. Ceramic tile was buried and then placed from the basement to the lowest part of the property. The tile allowed cool air to pass from the lower hillside, into the basement and then into the lower floors of the house. The process provided an early form of air conditioning. The second innovation was due to the home location on the crest of a bluff. Long iron bars were bolted onto the corners of the house so as to hold the structure on the foundation in strong winds.
The home, now in the Second Empire style, featured porches, turrets, iron cresting, window bays, a walnut staircase and an office from which Deere could see his factories in the valley below. The family bedrooms were on the second floor, and the ballroom and servant’s quarters were on the third floor. Deere named the 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) home Red Cliff.
Deere lived in the house for six years until his death in 1886. His body lay in repose in the front parlor where thousands of mourners paid their respects. His widow, Lucenia, lived in the house two more years before her death in 1888. The house remained in the Deere family until 1933, when it was sold to a banker.
In 1936 the house was sold to an interior decorator who divided it into eleven apartments. For the next 50 years the property had several different owners. In 1988 the Resolution Trust Corporation
took possession of the house due to a loan default. By now the home had been divided into 16 efficiency apartments that were in disrepair and the grounds had become overgrown. Barbara Sandberg, an historic preservationist, convinced the city of Moline to purchase the house from the federal agency in the hope of finding a buyer to restore the home. The city used $40,000 in Community Block Grant money to buy the house in 1993. The property was shown 70 times over three years to prospective buyers and received five serious bids.
The city sold the property in 1996 to a private owner for $100. The new owners were to complete the renovations on the house by the year 2000. Plans were to turn the home into a bed and breakfast and public events space. Numerous renovations were completed on the house, but the project was not completed when work stopped in 2003. The city sued the homeowner for breach of contract in 2005. An agreement was worked out and work resumed on the house in 2008, but soon came to an end. The Sauk Valley Bank of Sterling, Illinois
foreclosed on the property in 2009 and they bought back the mortgage in January 2010. The house was again sold in 2011.
Moline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The house, which is associated with industrialist John Deere, sits on the edge of a high bluff overlooking the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
Valley and the urban landscape below. It was declared a Moline Historic Landmark in 2002, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2003.
History
The house was built in the Italianate style for Moline grocer William B. Dawson around 1870. The property consisted of three lots, and included the house, a barn, outbuildings, a carriageway, fruit trees, grapery and select plants. Dawson, however, defaulted on the property and John Deere purchased the house and the three lots in 1875. For the next five years Deere renovated and expanded the house before occupying it in 1880. The additions more than doubled the size of the house.Deere made two unique innovations to the house in the process. Ceramic tile was buried and then placed from the basement to the lowest part of the property. The tile allowed cool air to pass from the lower hillside, into the basement and then into the lower floors of the house. The process provided an early form of air conditioning. The second innovation was due to the home location on the crest of a bluff. Long iron bars were bolted onto the corners of the house so as to hold the structure on the foundation in strong winds.
The home, now in the Second Empire style, featured porches, turrets, iron cresting, window bays, a walnut staircase and an office from which Deere could see his factories in the valley below. The family bedrooms were on the second floor, and the ballroom and servant’s quarters were on the third floor. Deere named the 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) home Red Cliff.
Deere lived in the house for six years until his death in 1886. His body lay in repose in the front parlor where thousands of mourners paid their respects. His widow, Lucenia, lived in the house two more years before her death in 1888. The house remained in the Deere family until 1933, when it was sold to a banker.
In 1936 the house was sold to an interior decorator who divided it into eleven apartments. For the next 50 years the property had several different owners. In 1988 the Resolution Trust Corporation
Resolution Trust Corporation
The Resolution Trust Corporation was a United States Government-owned asset management company run by Lewis William Seidman and charged with liquidating assets, primarily real estate-related assets such as mortgage loans, that had been assets of savings and loan associations declared insolvent by...
took possession of the house due to a loan default. By now the home had been divided into 16 efficiency apartments that were in disrepair and the grounds had become overgrown. Barbara Sandberg, an historic preservationist, convinced the city of Moline to purchase the house from the federal agency in the hope of finding a buyer to restore the home. The city used $40,000 in Community Block Grant money to buy the house in 1993. The property was shown 70 times over three years to prospective buyers and received five serious bids.
The city sold the property in 1996 to a private owner for $100. The new owners were to complete the renovations on the house by the year 2000. Plans were to turn the home into a bed and breakfast and public events space. Numerous renovations were completed on the house, but the project was not completed when work stopped in 2003. The city sued the homeowner for breach of contract in 2005. An agreement was worked out and work resumed on the house in 2008, but soon came to an end. The Sauk Valley Bank of Sterling, Illinois
Sterling, Illinois
Sterling is a city in Whiteside County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,370 at the 2010 census, down from 15,451 at the 2000 census. Formerly nicknamed "The Hardware Capital of the World", Sterling has long been associated with manufacturing and the steel...
foreclosed on the property in 2009 and they bought back the mortgage in January 2010. The house was again sold in 2011.