Des Moines' historic Butler House is for sale
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The Butler House, once used as a college dormitory for DSM University students, has been a bed-and-breakfast in recent decades. Photos: Brandon Schroeder/Schroeder Photography
The Butler House on Grand Avenue went on the market this week.
Why it matters: It isn't just a stately Tudor; it's woven into Des Moines' architectural legacy — including its connection to the Butler Mansion on Fleur Drive, which recently became home to the Italian-American Cultural Center of Iowa.
Flashback: The house was built in the early 1920s by Robert and Edith Butler. Robert was an attorney for Cyrus McCormick, the inventor of the mechanical reaper.
- It was designed by prominent local architect Norman Vorse, who also designed Hoyt Sherman Place's theater and the Court Avenue Bridge.
The intrigue: Robert's brother, Earl Butler, was an engineer and constructed the Butler Mansion.
State of play: The house has been a bed-and-breakfast for more than 25 years.
Zoom in: The roughly 4,500-square-foot house has seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms spread across multiple levels.
- It's got fireplaces, built-ins and hardwood floors, paired with updated mechanicals and renovated bathrooms.
- Its listing price: $1,550,000.
🛋️ Fun fact: Much of the home's custom furniture is included in the sale, Bob Eisenlauer, team leader of the Realtor group Eisenlauer Team, tells Axios.
What's next: Interested buyers can attend an open house on Sunday, 1-3pm.
- 4507 Grand Ave. in DSM