The Farm House

The Farm House is a three-story brick structure with limestone stucco exterior and a stone foundation located at the center of Iowa State University's campus. Its interior displays period furnishings and personal items that show how residents lived during the university's earliest decades.

Built between 1861 and 1865, the house served as residence for Seaman Knapp and James Wilson, who later became the United States Secretary of Agriculture. It became a focal point for the university's founding vision of combining agricultural science with practical farm experience.

The building represents the development of agricultural education in the Midwest through its connection to Iowa State University's founding and educational mission.

The building operates as a museum open to visitors who can move through the main rooms on a single floor at a time. Guided tours help explain the layout and what daily life was like for those who lived and worked here.

The brick walls were made from locally sourced clay, but a 1909 limestone stucco coating hid this original construction beneath a new exterior. This renovation completely changed how the building looked while concealing the materials and methods used by its original builders.

Location: Iowa

GPS coordinates: 42.03000,-93.64222

Latest update: December 12, 2025 14:24