Iowa Soldiers' Orphans' Home
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Iowa Soldiers' Orphans' Home
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The main building at the Home
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| Location | 2800 Eastern Ave. Davenport, Iowa |
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| Coordinates | 41°32′49.74″N 90°33′11.17″W / 41.5471500°N 90.5531028°WCoordinates: 41°32′49.74″N 90°33′11.17″W / 41.5471500°N 90.5531028°W |
| Area | 33 acres (13 ha) |
| Built | 1865 |
| Architect |
John W. Ross H.F. Liebbe J. Bradley Rust |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival, Queen Anne English Period Cottage |
| NRHP Reference # | 82002641 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | April 26, 1982 |
| Designated DRHP | May 15, 1996 |
The Iowa Soldiers' Orphans' Home or The Annie Wittenmyer Home located in Davenport, Iowa, United States is a former orphanage for children and is listed on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties and as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places. The home was originally used for orphans from the American Civil War, but starting in 1876, children from broken homes as well as orphans from all of Iowa's ninety-nine counties were taken in at the home.
Annie Turner Wittenmyer was a Sanitation Agent for Iowa whose job was to oversee the needs of Union Army soldiers during the American Civil War. Iowa contributed approximately 76,237 men to the army, and one of them wrote a letter saying,
"We are grateful for all the kindness shown us . . . but we prefer you should forget us . . . if you will but look after our wives and children, our mothers and sisters, who are dependent upon us for support . . .Succor them, and hold your charity from us."
The letter was read at a convention after which a board was convened to create a residence for the orphans of Iowa soldiers. Wittenmyer, a trustee and Board member, managed to raise money for the construction of the home with some donations reaching $500 ($6900 in 2010 dollars).
After the Civil War ended, over 13,500 children were in need of assistance as a result of the war deaths of Iowans—with many more badly wounded. An orphan's fair was held asking branches be built in three different Iowa cities and Farmington was soon considered inadequate to the Davenport home.Davenport was a center for Union volunteer units and after the War ended, soldier camps were not needed. Camp Kinsman (on present day Eastern Avenue) was donated to be used for the home. On November 11, 1865, the Iowa Soldiers' Orphans' Home received its first occupants by steamboat, when 150 children were delivered to matron Annie Wittenmyer's care. On June 6, 1866, the home was taken over by the State of Iowa and Wittnemyer continued to oversee the home until 1867. Eventually the Civil War orphans were grown and left the Home. From 1870, the home began to accept children from all Iowa 99 counties.
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Wikipedia