Madison Street 1996Site Inventory Form
State Inventory No. 31-02140
New Supplemental
State Historical Society of Iowa
Part of a district with known boundaries (enter inventory no.)
Relationship:ContributingNoncontributing
(December 1, 1999)
Contributes to a potential district with yet unknown boundaries
National Register Status:(any that apply) Listed De-listed NHL DOE
9-Digit SHPO Review & Compliance Number
Non-Extant (enter year)
1. Name of Property
historic name Ferd Nesler House
other names/site number
2. Location
street & number 1996 Madison Street
city or town Dubuque vicinity, county Dubuque
Legal Description: (If Rural) Township Name Township No. Range No. Section Quarter of Quarter
(If Urban) Subdivision Block(s) Lot(s) see below
3. State/Federal Agency Certification []
Skip this Section
4. National Park Service Certification []
Skip this Section
5. Classification
Category of Property Number of Resources within Property
(Check only one box)
building(s) If Non-Eligible Property If Eligible Property, enter number of:
district Enter number of: Contributing Noncontributing
site 0 buildings 2 0 buildings
structure sites sites
object structures structures
objects objects
0 Total 2 0 Total
Name of related project report or multiple property study
(Enter “N/A” if the property is not part of a multiple property examination).
Title Historical Architectural Data Base Number
The Architectural and Historical Resources of Dubuque, 1833-1955N/A
6. Function or Use
Historic Functions Current Functions
(Enter categories from instructions)(Enter categories from instructions)
01-Domestic/01A01single dwelling residence 01-Domestic/01A01single dwelling residence
7. Description
Architectural Classification Materials
(Enter categories from instructions)(Enter categories from instructions)
05-Late Victorian/05D-Queen Anne foundation Stone
walls brick
roof Asphalt
other
Narrative Description
( SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED)
8. Statement of Significance
Applicable National Register Criteria
(Mark “x” representing your opinion of eligibility after applying relevant National Register criteria)
Yes No More Research Recommended A
Property is associated with significant events.
Yes No More Research Recommended B
Property is associated with the lives of significant persons.
Yes No More Research Recommended C
Property has distinctive architectural characteristics.
Yes No More Research Recommended D
Property yields significant information in archaeology or history.
31-02140
Dubuque1996 Madison Street
County Address Site Number
Dubuque
City District Number
Criteria Considerations
A Owned by a religious institution or used E A reconstructed building, object, or structure.
for religious purposes. F A commemorative property.
B Removed from its original location. G Less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past
C A birthplace or grave. 50 years.
D A cemetery
Areas of Significance Significant Dates
(Enter categories from instructions)
Construction date
Architecture1896
check if circa or estimated date
Other dates
Significant Person Architect/Builder
(Complete if National Register Criterion B is marked above)
Architect
N/A Unknown
Builder
Unknown
Narrative Statement of Significance
( SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED)
9. Major Bibliographical References
Bibliography
See continuation sheet for citations of the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form
10. Geographic Data
UTM References
(OPTIONAL)
Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing
1 2
3 4
See continuation sheet for additional UTM references or comments
11. Form Prepared By
name/title James E. Jacobsen
organization History Pays! Historic Preservation Consulting Firm date June 15, 2005
street & number 4411 Ingersoll Avenue telephone 515-274-3625
city or town Des Moines state IA zip code 50312
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION
(Submit the following items with the completed form)
FOR ALL PROPERTIES
1. Map: showing the property’s location in a town/city or township.
2. Site plan: showing position of buildings and structures on the site in relation to public road(s).
3. Photographs: representative black and white photos. If the photos are taken as part of a survey for which the Society is to be
curator of the negatives or color slides, a photo/catalog sheet needs to be included with the negatives/slides and the following
needs to be provided below on this particular inventory site:
Roll/slide sheet # 7489 Frame/slot # 1 Date Taken Jan. 2005
Roll/slide sheet # 7495 Frame/slot # 6 Date Taken April 2005
Roll/slide sheet # Frame/slot # Date Taken
photo & slide catalog sheet
See continuation sheet or attached for list of photo roll or slide entries.
Photos/illustrations without negatives are also in this site inventory file.
FOR CERTAIN KINDS OF PROPERTIES, INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AS WELL
1. Farmstead & District:
(List of structures and buildings, known or estimated year built, and contributing or non-contributing status)
2. Barn:
a. A sketch of the frame/truss configuration in the form of drawing a typical middle bent of the barn.
b. A photograph of the loft showing the frame configuration along one side.
c. A sketch floor plan of the interior space arrangements along with the barn’s exterior dimensions in feet.
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Use Only Below This Line
Concur with above survey opinion on National Register eligibility: Yes No More Research Recommended
This is a locally designated property or part of a locally designated district.
Comments:
Evaluated by (name/title): Date:
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa
31-02140
Site Number
Iowa Site Inventory Form
Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 1
Ferd Nesler House Dubuque
Name of Property County
1996 Madison Street Dubuque
Address City
7. Narrative Description:
Architectural Style And Key Stylistic Elements:
Queen Anne style two-story brick gable front L-plan with side hall front wing, brackets, original hip roof
porch with pedimented entry, stone quoins, stone foundation, straight stone lintels, unique keystone
with incised rectangle and six horizontal parallel lines, corner pendants, broad brick voussoirs, rear
wing with cut corner due to street, hexagonal shingle roof, interesting use of cut corner with adjacent
windows forming a window set.
Physical Description:
33x31 core with wing to front right, 8x21 porch in front, soldier brick flat arches, stone quoins in front
arches, bracketed three-sided bay.
Alterations:
Porch is Classical Revival in style and later date but historical, ornate entry pediment.
Building Permits:
1952-convert garage into dwelling
1955-front porch repairs
1992-remodel second level of detached garage into dwelling, $6,500
Outbuildings:
Carriage house with cupola in southeast corner, board and batten exterior
Landscaping Notes:
Corner lot, low terrace and stone retaining wall on two sides, yard open to south, east, drive to south
8. Narrative Statement of Significance:
Historical Notes:
Said to have been built c.1895 by Ferd. A. Nesler family (Dubuque Fest House Tour, May 21-22, 1994).
A kitchen counter is a former jewelry display case from the family store.
Wm. Rebman builds brick dwelling, $1,000, Madison, no address, 1880 (Herald, January 1, 1881).
City Directory Notes:
(170 Madison)
Michael Duggan, 1888-94, Duggan, Sullivan & Kinsella (190?), placed on southeast corner Madison
and Seminary 1894.
Ferdinand A. Nesler, 1896-1931+, Nesler Bros. Jewelry
Historical Image Notes:
1909 Sanborn shows this house with its distinctive rear cut corner, 170 Madison, full-width front porch,
north wing, rear south side porch and a two-story carriage house in the southeast corner of the lot.
1909/36 Sanborn shows the same.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa
31-02140
Site Number
Iowa Site Inventory Form
Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 2
Ferd Nesler House Dubuque
Name of Property County
1996 Madison Street Dubuque
Address City
9. Major Bibliographical References:
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, 1884, 1891, 1909/36
Dubuque City Directories, 1902, 1915, 1925, 1934
Bruce Kriviskey, Dubuque, Iowa--Architectural Survey 1978/1979, Atlas of City Wide and District
Survey Maps, Dubuque; n.p., c.1979
Dubuque County Assessor’s Data
Newspapers and other primary sources as noted in the text above.
Historical photographs, Center For Dubuque History, Loras College
10. Additional Documentation:
Legal Description: Lot 2, Lot 2-1 of Sub of 1 of City Lot 678, Lot 2-54, Marsh’s Add
Map:
North Main Area Survey Contour Map
Blackened house locates subject property
(City of Dubuque, 2005)
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