Robert Wagner House, Neoclassical residence in Rock Island, Illinois.
The Robert Wagner House is a neoclassical residence in Rock Island, Illinois, featuring a three-part front with fluted Ionic columns supporting a two-story portico and central entrance with a balcony above. The interior contains a grand staircase with a semicircular balcony, while the south side shows a distinctive two-story bay window filled with bottle glass panes.
The house was designed in 1904 by Frederick G. Clausen for Robert Wagner, who managed the Atlantic Brewery and later became president of Rock Island Brewing Company. This period marked a wave of construction for local industrial leaders in the region.
The house shows how successful business owners in Rock Island expressed their status through architectural design during the early 1900s industrial boom. Walking through its spaces gives a sense of the lifestyle that prominent local industrialists maintained.
The building sits at 904 23rd Street and maintains its original mechanical systems, including a speaking tube, bell system, and corner light fixtures. Visitors can observe these functional historical details while touring the residence.
The building features a working speaking tube system from the early 1900s that allowed residents to communicate across multiple rooms without leaving the house. This interior communication technology was a rare feature in private homes of that era.
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