French Family Association

The Official Website of the Surname French

Famous French Architecture

The George French House
Davenport, Iowa

Updated by Mara French on 30 June 2011

http://qctimes.com/news/local/article_017a7c96-6ec2-11df-97d6-001cc4c03286.html
Corner of East 11^th Street and Pershing Avenue
Davenport, Iowa
Built in 1911

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The George Decker House

Genealogy of George Decker French

The George Decker House

Thirteen years after first seeking permission, Palmer College of Chiropractic finally has received the go-ahead to tear down a turn-of-the-century historic house at the corner of East 11th Street and Pershing Avenue.

The Decker French House, built 99 years ago in the prairie style of Frank Lloyd Wright, is in the Cork Hill historic district and on the National Register of Historic Places. It has, however, sat empty and boarded up since the first battle between preservationists and Palmer in the late 1990s.

In April, the Historic Preservation Commission, basing its decision on a city inspection that determined the house was deteriorating rapidly and becoming a hazard, relented and voted 6-2 in favor of allowing a demolition permit. Without the commission’s approval, the college would have had to appeal to the city council for the right to demolish the former home of early Davenport industrialist George Decker French.

“I do understand it, but it’s a crying shame,” said commissioner Fritz Miller, who cast one of the no votes. “The reason the commission had to go along with it is because the inspection department determined it’s gotten to the point where it’s dangerous. I could not bring myself to vote for it, but the majority decided.”

Miller said the recent history of the house is an example of demolition by neglect. Prior to Palmer’s purchase in 1996, the home had been broken up into several small apartments. Preservationists warned that the college bought it to clear space for more surface parking near the campus.

However, Robert Lee, Palmer’s vice chancellor for support services — who was with the college during the first go-around with the city — said that was never a plan. When the house eventually is demolished, the site will be converted into green space, he said.

Palmer officials cited “economic hardship” due to the high cost of renovating the building when it originally requested a demolition permit. During the commission meeting, city planner Ken Oestreich said it is likely the cost to renovate it would be between $700,000 and $1 million. Lee said the college looked at several plans to convert it into apartments or a sorority house, but couldn’t make the numbers work.

“Our original intent was student housing,” Lee said. “We wanted to make sure, like we’ve done with other historic properties, rather than have them fall into the wrong hands, to control the situation and continue to rent to students. We bought it with good intentions, and it didn’t work out. It’s unfortunate it fell into more disrepair.”

Miller remembers the events leading up to the house’s demise differently. He said the college boarded it up shortly after buying the property and cut off the utilities.

“They did that on a Friday, and by the time they came back on Monday, it was announced throughout campus the building was going to go down,” Miller said.

That led to several break-ins in which copper wiring and plumbing, fireplaces, mantles, windows, staircase parts and other valuable architectural elements were taken, Miller said.

“People were in there with saws chopping up the floors,” he said.

Despite their differing recollections, both Miller and Lee said there is a closer working relationship between Palmer and the commission these days.

“I still have some concerns about the long term, but I do think Palmer has become much more aware and cogent of their responsibility in that area,” Miller said. “They are starting to do more rehab rather than just demolition and building new.”

Lee said the college tries to balance its future needs with the sensitive nature of its central city campus. He pointed to the recent purchase of the Argyle and Brady Manor apartments — which have been fixed up and used for student housing — as proof of the college’s commitment to saving architecturally important landmarks near the school.

Genealogy of George Decker French

George Decker French was b. 24 Nov 1887 in Davenport, Scott County, Iowa to George W. French and Clara V. Dicker. His father was born ca. 1859 in Iowa. George Decker French married Dorothy, b. 1892, and had at least 4 children: George, Dorothy, Verona, and John L. French. He was a contractor for the U.S. Government during WWI. Both his parents were born in Iowa and both of their parents were born in Massachusetts. But, the census of 1870 of Waterloo, Black Hawk, Iowa, states that the father of George W. French was Jacob W. French, b. 1828 in Vermont, and d. 10 Dec 1898 in Kansas. He had married Susan A. and was a carpenter.