The Jordan House is an historic building located in

West Des Moines, Iowa West Des Moines is a city in Iowa, United States. Most of the city is in Polk County, Iowa, Polk County, some of it is in Dallas County, Iowa, Dallas County, and small portions extend into Warren County, Iowa, Warren and Madison County, Iowa, Madi ...

, United States. It was built by abolitionist James C. Jordan and was a station on the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was an organized network of secret routes and safe houses used by freedom seekers to escape to the abolitionist Northern United States and Eastern Canada. Enslaved Africans and African Americans escaped from slavery ...

in Iowa. It has been listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

since 1973.

James C. Jordan

Jordan was a cattle farmer from

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, although the area is now in

West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...

, who settled in central Iowa in 1846. As a businessman he organized the State Bank of Des Moines and was involved in bringing the railroad to Des Moines. He platted Valley Junction and raised $70,000 to create a railhead there, which was also near his cattle operation. Today the area is the city of West Des Moines. As a civic leader he served on the Polk County Board of Supervisors, and was elected to both the

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and the

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. While in the state legislature he led the effort to move the state capital from

Iowa City Iowa City is the largest city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. At the time of the 2020 census the population was 74,828, making it the state's fifth-most populous city. The Iowa City metropolitan area, which enc ...

Des Moines Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...

. with Jordan was married twice. He and his first wife Melinda had six children. After her death, he married Cynthia Adams and the family grew to eleven children.

History

James Jordan's first dwelling in Polk County was a lean-to tent that he replaced with a log cabin in 1848. Two years later construction started on the present house. They moved into the basement when it was completed. It was divided into a kitchen and a bed/sitting room. In 1851 the first phase of the upper floors was completed. The white frame house is two stories tall. The first phase of the house featured an elegant entrance, two large rooms on the first floor and a walnut staircase that led to two large bedrooms on the second floor. The kitchen remained in the basement. Before the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

the house was a station on the Underground Railroad. Jordan, who was a staunch abolitionist, was considered the chief conductor in Polk County. John Brown stayed in the house at least two times, and one of those times he was leading 12 slaves to freedom. The house was also a place where travelers stopped on their journeys to the American West. It was also a gathering place for local businessmen and politicians. The house was expanded in 1870. The addition provided space for another parlor, a dining room, library, and kitchen. Porches were added to the east and south sides of the house. A second entrance was also added with another black walnut staircase to the six additional bedrooms on the second floor. The Jordan family continued to live in the house until 1947 when it was sold to the Church of the Nazarene who used the house as a part of their summer campground. The West Des Moines Historical Society bought the house in 1978. They renovated it as a period house and use it as a museum.

References

{{NRHP in Polk County, Iowa Houses completed in 1870 Houses in Polk County, Iowa West Des Moines, Iowa National Register of Historic Places in Polk County, Iowa Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Iowa Historic house museums in Iowa Houses on the Underground Railroad Underground Railroad in Iowa Museums in Polk County, Iowa African-American history in Des Moines, Iowa