Hitchcock House update

November 29th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Lewis, Iowa) – Much needed reconstructive work on the historic Revered George B. Hitchock House near Lewis recently wrapped-up. The nearly 168-year-old Hitchcock House is one of more than 2000 locations on Iowa the National Register of Historic Places and Landmarks (NRHP). It was closed to the public for tours, on July 23, 2023 after concerns about public safety was raised following the much publicized collapse of a building in Davenport. Hitchcock House Board Chair Sharon Guffey-Lewis said also, the Board had an obligation and a responsibility to repair it.

She said the work began in August, after they secured a contractor out of Pottawattamie County who has 46-years of experience in building restoration, especially in Omaha’s historic Old Market.

Sharon said the south wall in the basement is now secured.

Lewis said they’re very pleased with the work. The project was paid for in-part by funds from the Cass County Board of Conservation and Cass County Board of Supervisors. The Cass County Supervisors, Tuesday (11/28), unanimously passed a Resolution “Allocating ARPA funds (in the amount of $47,932) to [the] Hitchcock House [near Lewis] for foundation repairs,” allowing for the project to be paid in full, within a week.

Guffey-Lewis says the Hitchcock House is heated during the Winter, solely to help preserve the structure. It is not lived in on a regular basis. She says just because this segment of repairs is finished, doesn’t mean work on the structure will end entirely. And those repairs have to be done according to the standards set forth by the NRHP.