Salisbury House
Encyclopedia
The Salisbury House in Des Moines, Iowa
, also known as the Carl and Edith C. (Van Slyke) Weeks House and Gardens, is a Tudor
, Gothic
and Carolean style manorial home . It was a home of cosmetic magnate Carl Weeks and was completed in Des Moines, Iowa
, United States
, in 1928 for over $3 million. Salisbury House was modeled after the King's House in Salisbury
, England
and has over 42 rooms and measures just over 22000 square feet (2,043.9 m²).
Salisbury House is now owned by the Salisbury House Foundation, acquired from the Iowa State Education Association in 1999 and is open to the public for tours, and events. It is also on the List of Registered Historic Places in Iowa.
The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1977. The listing covered a 9.4 acres (3.8 ha) area with two contributing buildings, one other contributing structure and one contributing site.
books with notes from Hemingway himself inside. The house also contains many 16th century tapestries, paintings, historic architecture and a collection of historic documents, including those signed by Abraham Lincoln
, Jefferson Davis
and John Hancock
.
House Foundation in its work to preserve, restore, and display the house.
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, also known as the Carl and Edith C. (Van Slyke) Weeks House and Gardens, is a Tudor
Tudor architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
, Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
and Carolean style manorial home . It was a home of cosmetic magnate Carl Weeks and was completed in Des Moines, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in 1928 for over $3 million. Salisbury House was modeled after the King's House in Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and has over 42 rooms and measures just over 22000 square feet (2,043.9 m²).
Salisbury House is now owned by the Salisbury House Foundation, acquired from the Iowa State Education Association in 1999 and is open to the public for tours, and events. It is also on the List of Registered Historic Places in Iowa.
The property was added to 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 1977. The listing covered a 9.4 acres (3.8 ha) area with two contributing buildings, one other contributing structure and one contributing site.
Timeline
- 1923: Constructed and furnished at a cost of $3 million
- 1934: Carl and Edith Weeks gift Salisbury House to Drake UniversityDrake UniversityDrake University is a private, co-educational university located in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The institution offers a number of undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and pharmacy. Today, Drake is one of the twenty-five oldest law schools in the country....
- 1954: Iowa State Education Association purchased from Drake University to use as their offices
- 1993: Foundation formed and purchased estate and contents to restore and preserve
- 1998: Foundation raised $13.4 million to purchase and begin restoration, began endowment
- 2004: Began $7.5 million campaign to complete Master Restoration Plan
Historic artifacts
The Weeks family who built the Salisbury House wanted the house to become a museum when they moved out, and collected many historic artifacts from around the world, to store in the house. To date there are around 10,000 historic artifacts including a library with many rare first edition books, including first edition Ernest HemingwayErnest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
books with notes from Hemingway himself inside. The house also contains many 16th century tapestries, paintings, historic architecture and a collection of historic documents, including those signed by Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
, Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
and John Hancock
John Hancock
John Hancock was a merchant, statesman, and prominent Patriot of the American Revolution. He served as president of the Second Continental Congress and was the first and third Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts...
.
Salisbury Classic Weekend
The Salisbury Classic Weekend has become the biggest fundraising weekend of the year for the foundation. Usually on a weekend in September each year, the Classic Weekend includes activities like the Gatsby Gala, a Roaring Twenties–themed party (with many participants coming in period clothing), and the Salisbury Automobile Classic, in which antique and classic automobiles are displayed in the grounds and gardens of Salisbury House. The proceeds from all events benefit the SalisburyHouse Foundation in its work to preserve, restore, and display the house.