Property Record
4350 COUNTY HIGHWAY K
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Cassidy Farmhouse |
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| Other Name: | |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 47570 |
| Location (Address): | 4350 COUNTY HIGHWAY K |
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| County: | Iowa |
| City: | |
| Township/Village: | Brigham |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | 6 |
| Range: | 5 |
| Direction: | E |
| Section: | 3 |
| Quarter Section: | |
| Quarter/Quarter Section: |
| Year Built: | 1860 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1986 |
| Historic Use: | house |
| Architectural Style: | Side Gabled |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Limestone |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Cassidy Farmhouse |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 9/29/1986 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 1/1/1989 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: | Multiple Resources of Barneveld |
| Additional Information: | DESIGNED IN THE SIDE GABLED STYLE, THIS TWO-STORY HOUSE FEATURES A RECTANGULAR PLAN CONFIGURATION, A STONE FOUNDATION AND A WOOD SHINGLED GABLE ROOF. THE EXTERIOR WALL MATERIAL IS RENDERED IN LIMESTONE AND BOARD AND BATTEN, AND THE TRIM IS EXECUTED IN WOOD. THE STRUCTURAL SYSTEM PRESENT IN THE DWELLING IS MASONRY. LARGE STONE LINTELS ACCENT THE SIX-OVER-SIX WINDOWS. THE DWELLING WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1860, ACCORDING TO C. ARNESON. THIS STRUCTURE HAS SINCE UNDERGONE A RESTORATION IN THE 1980S AND HAS HAD A KITCHEN ADDED TO THE ORIGINAL PLAN. THE BOARD AND BATTEN FRONT ENTRY PORCH AND THE REAR KITCHEN ADDITION UNDERMINE THE INTEGRITY OF THE HOUSE. IN SPITE OF THESE ALTERATIONS, THE BUILDING WAS FOUND TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION. OTHER RELATED BUILDINGS ALSO ON THE SITE ARE A BARN, A SHED AND A CORN CRIB. (SEE AHI RECORD NO. 0047572, MAP CODE 52-24). KNOWN HISTORICALLY AS THE CASSIDY HOUSE, THIS STRUCTURE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH HENRY CASSIDY IN 1860, AND ANTON S. ARNESON IN 1945. IN 1985, THE OWNER OF THE RESIDENCE WAS NAUSE, AND BY 1986, THE NEW OWNER BECAME OSTOFF. THE THEMATIC OR MULTIPLE RESOURCE NOMINATION NAME IS "MULTIPLE RESOURCES OF BARNEVELD." DESCRIPTION FROM INVENTORY FORM FOR NOMINATED PROPERTIES: THE CASSIDY FARMHOUSE WAS BUILT OF LOCALLY QUARRIED LIMESTONE ABOUT 1860. THE SIMPLE, RECTANGULAR GREEK REVIVAL HOUSE ORIGINALLY HAD TWO LARGE ROOMS ON EACH FLOOR. THE ROUGH CUT, REGULARLY COURSED EXTERIOR WALLS USE MIXED STONE SIZES, WITH THE LARGEST STONES FORMING THE WINDOW LINTELS AND CORNER QUOINS. THE SILLS OF THE SIX-OVER-SIX WINDOWS ARE EACH A SINGLE STONE SLAB. THE HOUSE HAS TWO ADDITIONS: A FRAME PERPENDICULAR KITCHEN TO THE REAR, AND AN ENCLOSED ENTRANCE PORCH, BOTH CLAD IN BOARD-AND-BATTEN SIDING. THE ROOF IS OF WOODEN SHINGLES. THE HOUSE IS BUILT INTO A NORTH-FACING SLOPE SO THAT THE FULL-SIZED BASEMENT CAN BE ENTERED THROUGH A BACK DOOR AT GROUND LEVEL. INSIDE, THE HOUSE HAS BEEN MODERNIZED WITH PLUMBING AND ELECTRICITY ADDED SINCE 1970. THE NORTHERNMOST ROOMS HAVE BEEN PARTITIONED BOTH UPSTAIRS AND DOWN. THE ORIGINAL INTERIOR FIREPLACE AND CHIMNEY CONSTRUCTED OF MASSIVE STONES IS A FOCAL POINT IN THE SOUTHERN WALL OF THE LIVING ROOM. ARCHITECTURAL/ENGINEERING SIGNIFICANCE: THE CASSIDY FARMHOUSE IS SIGNIFICANT AS THE OLDEST EXISTANT HOUSE IN THE VILLAGE OF BARNEVELD. HENRY AND SARAH CASSIDY BOUGHT THE 80 ACRE TRACT OF LAND IN 1850, AND HAD THE HOUSE BUILT SOMETIME BEFORE 1860. THE CASSIDYS WERE AMONG THE EARLIEST SETTLERS IN BARNEVELD, AND THE CASSSIDY NAME CONTINUED IN LOCAL PROMINENCE UNTIL JOHN J. CASSIDY DIED IN 1920. THE CASSIDY FARMHOUSE IS NOT ONLY THE OLDEST HOUSE, IT IS THE ONLY HOUSE IN BARNEVELD BUILT OF STONE. THE VERNACULAR GREEK REVIVAL DESIGN AND SUBSTANTIAL CONSTRUCTION TYPIFY THE MID-NINETEENTH CENTURY YANKEE IMMIGRANT'S VALUES: UMPRETENTIOUS, DURABLE, AND DIGNIFIED. THE FRONT AND REAR ADDITIONS FOLLOW THE YANKEE TRADITION OF SIMPLICITY OF LINE AND MATERIALS. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: THE 80 ACRE TRACT LAND THAT BECAME THE CASSIDY FARM WAS ORIGINALLY GRANTED TO EDWARD BURRALL IN PAYMENT FOR MILITARY SERVICE. HE SOLD IT TO HENRY AND SARAH CASSIDY IN 1850, WHEN BARNEVELD WAS IN ITS EARLIEST STAGES OF SETTLEMENT. AT ABOUT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, THE CASSIDYS SUBDIVIDED A STRIP OF THEIR PORPERTY ADJACENT TO THE VILAGE OF BARNEVELD INTO 12 LOTS FRONTING ON EAST MAIN AND FRONT STREETS. THIS SUBDIVISION CAME TO BE KNOWN AS CASSIDY'S ADDITION. THE CASSIDY NAME CONTINUED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPERTY UNTIL 1945, WHEN THE FARM WAS SOLD TO ANTON S. ARNESON AT A SHERIFF'S AUCTION TO SETTLE THE CASSIDY ESTATE. THE CURRENT RESIDENTS AND OWNERS ARE DESCENDANTS OF ANTON ARNESON. |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. PROPERTY DEED, IN POSSESSION OF CURRENT RESIDENTS, EIRC AND ANNE NAUSE-OSTHOFF. B. ROBERT CARMAN, ARCHITECT FOR RESTORATION: NOTEBOOK IN POSSESSION OF CURRENT OCCUPANTS. C. CARL F. ARNESON, UNPUBLISHED HISTORICAL SKETCH. (THE ARNESON FAMILY PRUCHASED THE HOUSE FROM THE CASSIDY ESTATE). |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |