City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (515) 225-1286

Address: 2001 Fuller Rd.

Description: Built by a pioneering settler of the area now part of West Des Moines, this Victorian home of Italianate gothic design in the older part of the suburb has 16 rooms full of period furniture and antiques. The formal parlor has a large settee and Chickering piano. There are 2 kitchens in the house, one from the house’s original construction in 1850, the other from additions built in 1870. The newer kitchen has been restored with a cast-iron stove and old appliances and cooking items. Upstairs the master bedroom has a burled walnut bedroom set made especially for the Jordan family. The other bedroom, also part of the original construction, is more modest, with a small stove for heat. The Jordan House was built by James Jordan, a cattle farmer who came to Iowa from Virginia, settling in the Des Moines area and building a log cabin near the Raccoon River. He eventually served in both the Iowa House of Representatives and Senate and was instrumental in bringing the railroad to Valley Junction, as West Des Moines was then known, ensuring the young town’s growing prosperity and development. After first settling in a lean-to tent, he built his cabin in 1848, then in 1850 began building the house. His family, which included 6 children, lived in the basement as construction progressed. When finished, the house included a large entryway as well as a center hall and 2 large rooms on the first floor. At the top of a walnut staircase, 2 bedrooms dominated the second floor. The house’s kitchen was located in the basement and porches faced to the east and south. Jordan expanded his house as his family grew, adding several rooms. The house became a way station for travelers making the trek west, and also served for a time as a stop on the Underground Railroad, providing shelter to escaping slaves. Abolitionist leader John Brown stayed at the Jordan House at least twice as he led slaves through Iowa toward freedom. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The house, which is operated by the West Des Moines Historical Society, is open to visitors May through Sept, from 1 to 4 p.m. Wed and Sat and from 2 to 5 p.m. Sun. The nearby Bennett Schoolhouse, also operated by the historical society, is a one-room school and is also worth a visit. Also nearby is Jordan Cemetery, on the south side of Fuller Road, ½ mile west of Grand Avenue, which includes the graves of many early residents of the area, as well as the Jordan family’s plot.