The Iowa State Capitol designer built this famous home in Sherman Hill
Recognized as a significant property in the Sherman Hill Historic District, the Mifflin E. House has been listed for sale at $675,000 following years of interior renovation.
“All the hard work on the inside is done,” explained Realtor Randy Kramer. “The things you don’t want to spend your money on, that money has been spent,” he said.
Located at the intersection of 19th and Leyner streets in the northwestern section of the neighborhood, the 3,327-square-foot, four-bedroom, four-bathroom home sits on a double lot, a larger slice of land than usually found in Sherman Hill. Equally uncommon, is the unattached four-car garage, with a second floor outfitted for extra storage possibilities.
Pennsylvania-born architect Mifflin Emlen Bell built the home in 1882, and designed the two-story home for himself, his wife Addie and their two children. Bell was a member of the Iowa State Capitol building’s original architectural team, implementing early design revisions to the now famous dome. Bell left the project in 1884, diverting focus to his position as supervising architect for the U.S. Treasury, a department that oversaw construction of federal buildings nationwide.
Bell was a member of the “Joint Commission to Complete the Washington Monument,” and his name is one of five inscribed into the aluminum pyramid capstone on the obelisk’s north face, 572 feet above modern-day tourists.
In 1887, the Bells sold their Des Moines home to politician and fellow Iowa architect Robert Spencer Finkbine, the “superintendent of construction” on the recently completed State Capitol.
Over the decades, the house has served as an individual and multi-family residence but has since been restored to its current state with a blend of vintage and modern conveniences.
Through the front entrance’s double doors, visitors enter into a vestibule featuring the first of two-nonfunctional fireplaces, “but the tile work on them is just exquisite,” Kramer added. The ground floor incudes a dining area, family room and a large, modernized kitchen with an island mounted on wheels to increase the footprint if needed.
Upstairs, the primary bedroom connects to a bathroom featuring a clawfoot tub, two vanities, a tiled shower and walk-in closet. Three more bedrooms and a laundry space are also situated on that level. Tile flooring in many of the rooms is now individually heated.
Throughout the home, vintage fixtures including lighting, baseboard trims and door hardware are reminders of the home’s age and pedigree. Among the dozens of windows, all but four have been replaced, or refurbished.
Depending on the design tastes of the new owners, the building’s exterior will require some attention. And Kramer suggested a new color scheme might enhance the building’s classic roots.
Financial assistance programs, including state and federal historic tax credits and financing from the Neighborhood Finance Corp. are available to inspire any future improvements.
As an admirer of the property’s design details, large size and convenient location Kramer believes any further upgrades would seal its position as one of the neighborhood’s “showcase” residences. “I’m looking forward to seeing it when it’s done,” he said.
The home is listed at $675,000 by Randy Kramer of Iowa Realty Mills Crossing. Contact Kramer at 515-240-8418 for more information and a private showing.
Where: 808 19th St., Des Moines
Asking price: $675,000
Year built: 1882
Square footage: 3,327 square feet
Lot size: 0.30 acres
Richard Lane is a freelance writer for the Des Moines Register. If you have a home we should feature, reach out to Susan Stapleton at [email protected].
This story was updated to add a video.
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