by Terrace Hill in Des Moines, Iowa, is a historic home built in 1869, which now serves at the Iowa Governor’s Mansion. The home is 18,000 square feet in size and sits on the highest hill overlooking downtown Des Moines.
The home was originally built by Iowa’s first millionaire, businessman Benjamin Franklin Allen, for $250,000.
Even though that includes the Mansion, Carriage House, furnishings, and 30 acres of land, that’s still a lot of dough for 1869! It did include some very modern features for its time, such as hot and cold running water, bathrooms, an elevator, and gas lights.
Allen ran into severe financial difficulties, however, and was forced to sell the home in 1884 for just $60,000! Ouch.
The new owner, businessman F. M. Hubbell, and his descendants retained the home for several decades, but by 1957 it sat vacant. In 1971 the family donated it to the state of Iowa to serve as the governor’s mansion. The house has been the governors’ residence since 1976.
The home originally sat on the western edge of Des Moines, but due to city expansion over the years, it now sits in the center of the city.
