Knapp-Wilson House
Historic house in Iowa. Added to the National Register in 1966, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
The Farm House, also known as the Knapp–Wilson House, is the oldest building on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Now a museum open to the general public, this house was originally built in 1860 as part of the model farm aspect of Iowa Agricultural College and Model Farm. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1965 for its association with agriculturist Seaman A. Knapp and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson, both of whom lived here while teaching at Iowa State.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | Iowa State University campus, Ames, IA |
| County | Story County |
| Listed | Oct 15, 1966 |
| Listed for | Education, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Also known as | The Farm House |
| Reference number | 66000339 |
| Type of place | house |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | Iowa State University campus, Ames, IA |
| Coordinates | 42.0300° N, 93.6424° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Ames | 23 listed places in Ames → |
| Nearest national park unit | Herbert Hoover National Historic Site · 120 miles · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | Sandpiper Recreation Area 19 miles · Prairie Flower Recreation Area 20 miles · Oak Grove Picnic Area 20 miles |
Explore
Map
Nearby in Story County
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Local history books for Ames
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Guidebooks to historic places and travel in Iowa
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Knapp-Wilson House listed on the National Register?
Oct 15, 1966. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Can I visit Knapp-Wilson House?
Yes. Knapp-Wilson House is recorded as open to the public.
Source: Wikidata
Where is Knapp-Wilson House?
Iowa State University campus, Ames, Story County, Iowa. The nearest national park unit is Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 120 miles away.
Where is the nomination form for Knapp-Wilson House?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near Knapp-Wilson House?
Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Sandpiper Recreation Area, 19 miles away. Prairie Flower Recreation Area is 20 miles away, and Oak Grove Picnic Area is 20 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at Knapp-Wilson House?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 66000339. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.