American Gothic House

American Gothic House

The American Gothic House, also known as the Dibble House, is a house designed in the Gothic Revival style with a distinctive upper window. It was the backdrop of the 1930 painting American Gothic by Grant Wood.

Generally considered Wood's most famous work and among the most recognized paintings in twentieth century American art, the painting is the model for hundreds of parodies across every creative medium. Grant Wood, who observed the house only once in his lifetime, made only an initial sketch of the house - he completed American Gothic at his studio in Cedar Rapids.

First owned by Eldon resident Charles Dibble after its construction in 1881 and 1882, the home was (with one 1897 exception) a private residence until the late twentieth century.

After a thirty-year preservation effort culminated with the donation of the house in 1991 to the State Historical Society of Iowa, the site now includes the original house in its 1930 form and a visitors center.

Since 1991, various caretakers have continued to rent the home privately.

Location

300 American Gothic St.
Eldon, Wapello County
Iowa, USA

Getting There

The American Gothic House is located in Eldon, Iowa. Here are some ways to get there:

By car: Eldon is located in southeastern Iowa, about 100 miles south of Des Moines and 60 miles north of the Missouri border. Visitors can take Highway 16 or 78 to get to Eldon, depending on their starting point.

By plane: The nearest major airport is Des Moines International Airport, which is about 100 miles north of Eldon. From the airport, visitors can rent a car or take a shuttle to Eldon.

By bus: The Jefferson Lines bus company offers service to Ottumwa, Iowa, which is about 15 miles west of Eldon. From Ottumwa, visitors can rent a car or take a taxi to Eldon.

Once you arrive in Eldon, the American Gothic House is located at 300 American Gothic Street.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Iowa that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.