Villisca Ax Murder House

Villisca Ax Murder House

This old white frame house may have survived only because of the terrible murders that took place there in June, 1912.

The house was the site of the 1912 brutal murder of eight people, including six children. A documentary has been made about the murder, which remains unsolved. The house was renovated in the 1990s and serves as a local museum.

The house was built in 1868, on lot 310. After the murders, the house went through the possession of eight people, the most recent acquisition occurring in 1994 by Mr. Darwin Linn. He and his wife successfully restored the house to its original condition at the time of the murders.

In 1998, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance recognized the site with the Preservation at its Best award in 1997.

Location

323 E 4th Street
Villisca, Montgomery County
Iowa, USA

Getting There

The nearest airport to Villisca is Des Moines International Airport, which is approximately a 2-hour drive away. From there, you can either rent a car or take a taxi or ride-sharing service to Villisca.

If you are traveling by car, Villisca is located off of Interstate 80, and you can take exit 71 onto Highway 148 south to reach the town. Once in Villisca, the Villisca Ax Murder House is located on the east side of town near the intersection of 2nd Street and 5th Avenue.

Nearby Airports

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