Shepard and Emma Farnsworth House
The Shepard and Emma Farnsworth House is a historic Queen Anne–style home in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Built in 1886 by Vincent Battin and designed by local architect S. E. Maxon, the two‑story frame house is known for its asymmetrical design and decorative details.
Features include multiple gables, original wrought‑iron roof cresting, cast metal egg‑and‑dart trim under the eaves, three chimneys, and four porches with spindle and sawn wood cutouts. The house also has stained glass, leaded glass, and etched glass windows and doors.
The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 29, 2018 (NRHP reference number 100002621).
Shepard Farnsworth, a native of Muscatine, began his banking career in Washington, Iowa, and served in the Civil War. He helped start a private bank in McGregor before settling in Council Bluffs in 1869. He bought half the stock of the First National Bank and worked there as cashier until he retired in 1892. He married Emma Crabbe in Washington, and they raised five children. Shepard died in 1902; Emma lived in the house until 1920, when she sold it to Judge John P. Tinley.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 12:19 (CET).