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Workingmen`s Houses, John H. Kelly House, 274 Southern Ave Dubuque, Dubuque County, IA
Built about 1855 by laborer John H. Kelly, this two story stone/frame house is one of the most prominent of the vernacular workingmen`s structures built in the 19th century along Southern Avenue at the periphery of Dubuque. Widely touted (and individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places) as an example of Steamboat Gothic architecture, however, the Kelly House is actually the result of at least two major additions, and its ornamented front porch is a later manifestation of style, applied to what had evidently started as a simply detailed dwelling. Nevertheless, the building is important to the interpretation of Dubuque`s history as perhaps the oldest standing structure along Southern Avenue. Additionally, John H. Kelly is significant as one of the first of the Kelly clan to settle in the area, eventually forming a family enclave along Southern Avenue. Finally, the building is noteworthy for its continuity of ownership. While similar nearby dwellings have changed hands fairly regularly, this house was held by the Kelly family for about eighty years from its construction in 1855 until 1936, and has had only two owners since.
Workingmen`s Houses, John H. Kelly House, 274 Southern Ave Dubuque, Dubuque County, IA
Built about 1855 by laborer John H. Kelly, this two story stone/frame house is one of the most prominent of the vernacular workingmen`s structures built in the 19th century along Southern Avenue at the periphery of Dubuque. Widely touted (and individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places) as an example of Steamboat Gothic architecture, however, the Kelly House is actually the result of at least two major additions, and its ornamented front porch is a later manifestation of style, applied to what had evidently started as a simply detailed dwelling. Nevertheless, the building is important to the interpretation of Dubuque`s history as perhaps the oldest standing structure along Southern Avenue. Additionally, John H. Kelly is significant as one of the first of the Kelly clan to settle in the area, eventually forming a family enclave along Southern Avenue. Finally, the building is noteworthy for its continuity of ownership. While similar nearby dwellings have changed hands fairly regularly, this house was held by the Kelly family for about eighty years from its construction in 1855 until 1936, and has had only two owners since.
Posted Date
Sep 27, 2021
Source Name
Library of Congress
