Foster/Bell House, Ottumwa

#15 among attractions in Ottumwa

Tudor Revival architecture

Map

Facts and practical information

The Foster/Bell House is an historic building located in Ottumwa, Iowa, United States. The original house on the property was the home of Judge H.B. Hendershott built in 1862. He sold the property to Thomas D. Foster in early 1890s. He was the chairman and general manager of the meat packing firm John Morrell & Company from 1893 to 1915. Foster hired architect Ernest Koch to design the present residence. It was originally a frame and stone house in the Neoclassical style that was completed in 1893. The house passed to Foster's daughter Ellen Foster Bell who hired the Des Moines architectural firm of Kraetsch and Kraetsch. They redesigned the exterior to its present Tudor Revival style in 1923. The architectural firm of Tinsley, McBroom & Higgins made significant changes to the interior in 1929. It features Sioux Falls red granite on the main floor. ()

Architectural style: NeoclassicismCoordinates: 41°1'11"N, 92°24'27"W

Address

205 East Fifth StreetOttumwa United States

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Day trips

Foster/Bell House – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: B'nai Jacob Synagogue, Ottumwa City Hall, Ottumwa Cemetery, Jefferson Street Viaduct.

0.4 miS
Synagogue, Neo-renaissance architecture
B'nai Jacob Synagogue, Ottumwa
11 min walk • B'nai Jacob Synagogue is a Conservative congregation in Ottumwa, Iowa. Established in 1898, it was originally Orthodox. It constructed its current synagogue building in 1915, and joined the Conservative movement in the 1950s.
~860 ftSW
City hall
Ottumwa City Hall, Ottumwa
5 min walk • Ottumwa City Hall is the official seat of government for the city of Ottumwa, Iowa, United States. The building originally served as a post office and federal courthouse. It is part of the Central Park area, which includes: Ottumwa Public Library, Wapello County Courthouse and St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church.
1 miN
Gothic Revival architecture, Cemetery
Ottumwa Cemetery, Ottumwa
27 min walk • Ottumwa Cemetery is a public cemetery located in Ottumwa, Iowa, United States. The entrance area of the cemetery forms a historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
0.5 miSW
Bridge
Jefferson Street Viaduct, Ottumwa
13 min walk • The Jefferson Street Viaduct is an historic structure located in Ottumwa, Iowa, United States. The riveted Warren deck truss bridge was completed in 1936.
~1550 ftS
41°0'57"N • 92°24'33"W
Market on Main, Ottumwa
8 min walk • Shopping, Shopping centre
~720 ftW
Gothic Revival architecture, Church
St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church, Ottumwa
4 min walk • St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Davenport. The church building is located on the corner of 4th and Court Streets in downtown Ottumwa, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Central Park area, which is the civic center of the community.
0.4 miW
Novelty architecture
Coal Palace, Ottumwa
10 min walk • The Coal Palace was a temporary exhibition center that stood in Ottumwa, Iowa from 1890 until 1892. It was used most prominently to showcase the local coal mining industry.
~1020 ftSW
Concerts and shows, Theater
Benson Block, Ottumwa
5 min walk • The Benson Block is a historic building located in downtown Ottumwa, Iowa, United States. It is two-fifths of a building that was originally constructed in 1883 and was damaged in a fire in 1923.
~220 ftSW
Gothic Revival architecture, Church
Trinity Episcopal Church, Ottumwa
2 min walk • Trinity Episcopal Church is located in Ottumwa, Iowa, United States. It is a parish church of the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa. The building is a contributing property in the Fifth Street Bluff Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.
~860 ftW
Romanesque architecture
Wapello County Courthouse, Ottumwa
5 min walk • The Wapello County Courthouse in Ottumwa, Iowa, United States, was built in 1894. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource.
~1160 ftSW
Neighbourhood
Greater Second Street Historic District, Ottumwa
6 min walk • The Greater Second Street Historic District is a nationally recognized historic district located in Ottumwa, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which popular attractions are close to Foster/Bell House?

Nearby attractions include Trinity Episcopal Church, Ottumwa (2 min walk), Fifth Street Bluff Historic District, Ottumwa (2 min walk), Ottumwa Public Library, Ottumwa (2 min walk), St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church, Ottumwa (4 min walk).

How to get to Foster/Bell House by public transport?

The nearest stations to Foster/Bell House:

Train

Ottumwa (10 min walk)