The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad built this depot in 1893 to replace an earlier one erected in 1863. Designed in a modified Queen Anne style, notable features include a 1.5-story round tower topped by a conical roof and arched windows. As of early 2022, the former depot is unused but previously housed a restaurant. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
Minister and abolitionist Josiah B. Grinnell founded the city that now bears his name. His home was originally located here, just across from Grinnell's Central Park. Reverend Grinnell assisted enslaved persons by allowing them to stay in his cellar and providing food and supplies. The community soon earned a reputation as home to abolitionists and others who opposed slavery and were willing to assist and defend formerly enslaved persons as they traveled from the South to Canada or other places where they might be in less danger from slave catchers. Grinnell's home was located here until 1914, when part of the home was moved to this location on Broad Street. The home was not well-preserved and the structure was demolished in 1984.
Grinnell's Merchants' National Bank building is one of the most unique architectural landmarks in central Iowa. The structure is one of the three surviving "jewel box" banks in the Midwest designed by noted American architect Louis Sullivan (1856-1924), who is known as the "father of skyscrapers." The bank was built in 1914 and, despite its boxy shape, features a number of ornate decorative elements. The most notable of these is the large, stained glass rose window on the front facade surrounded by an elaborate terra cotta "sunburst". The main entrance is surrounded by a decorative frame and flanked by two winged lions holding a shield. The east facade features a large, recessed stained glass window with columns. The cornice is made of decorative terra cotta features finials. The former bank is now home to the Grinnell Chamber of Commerce and the Grinnell Visitor Center.
Established in 1979, the Grinnell Area Arts Council offers a variety of arts programs for people of all ages. These include the Grinnell Community Theatre, the Grinnell Community Band, Music in the Park, the Turlach Ur Pipe Band, a local artist market, the Stewart Gallery, and a wide range of education programming. The Council also operates the Stew Makerspace across the street. The organization is housed in the historic Stewart Library, which was built in 1902 by philanthropist Joel Stewart (1833-1918) who donated it to the city. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
This local history museum dates back to a community effort to create a museum by four women's organizations in the 1950s. The museum opened in 1958 and opened in its current location in 1965. The museum is located in the McMurry House, a ten-room Victorian home built in 1895 for a local merchant. Docents provide free tours anytime the museum is open. Museum staff are also happy to help local residents with genealogical research.
Goodnow Hall is the oldest building on the Grinnell College campus. An excellent example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture, it was built in 1885 as a library and is named after philanthropist, abolitionist and women's education advocate Edward A. Goodnow. The building was constructed with rusticated pink granite stones and sandstone trim, and features a large square tower and arched windows. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, it has housed the anthropology department since 1995.
Completed in 1912, the B.J. Ricker House is one of the finest examples of Prairie School architecture in Iowa. Leading early 20th-century American architect Walter Burley Griffin (1876-1937) designed it for local businessman Benjamin J. Ricker. It features a high basement, four large brick corner piers, a gable roof that extends over each side, a covered veranda, an attached garage, and stucco panels with decorative brick and tile patterns. Inside, the house features five bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, oak woodwork, cove lighting, recessed bookcases, sleeping porches, and fireplaces with tile decoration. Griffin's wife, Marion, who was one of the first licensed woman architects in the world, designed the tiles. The house is a private residence is not open for tours. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This short walking tour begins at Union Depot and moves north to Grinnell College, with stops at historic homes, buildings, and other landmarks in the downtown area along the way. Highlights of the tour include the home of abolitionist Josiah B. Grinnell, the Grinnell Historical Museum, Goodnall Hall, and the Ricker Home.
