The Madison County Courthouse is located in Winterset, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 as a part of the County Courthouses in Iowa Thematic Resource. It was included as a contributing property in the Winterset Courthouse Square Commercial Historic District in 2015. The courthouse is the third building the county has used for court functions and county administration.
The George and Susan Guiberson Armstrong House is a historic residence located north of Winterset, Iowa, United States. George Armstrong was a native of Ireland who settled with his wife Susan in Madison County in 1853. He bought 40 acres (16 ha) of land in 1855 on which he built this house a year later. In 1875, he still owned the same 40 acres, which suggests the Armstrongs were people of modest means. The house is an early example of a vernacular limestone farmhouse. This single-story, one room structure is composed of roughly squared quarry faced and rubble limestone that was laid in courses in a random bond. It features quoins and door jambs that are composed of roughly squared quarry faced stone, and lintels and window sills of wood. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
The John and Amanda Bigler Drake House is a historic residence located west of Winterset, Iowa, United States. The Drake's settled in Madison County in 1853. Within five years he had acquired 560 acres (230 ha) of land. This house was built around 1856. It is an early example of a vernacular limestone farmhouse. This two-story structure has a two-story addition composed of locally quarried ashlar and rubble stone. It features a lintel course, a protruding water table, the main entryway has an elaborate transom and sidelights, and stone chimneys on both gable ends. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. When the house was nominated for the National Register it was still owned by the Drake family.
The John M. Duncan House is a historic house located half a mile south of Winterset, Iowa.
The Henry and Elizabeth Adkinson Evans House is a historic residence located south of Winterset, Iowa, United States. Henry Evans settled in the Madison County with his mother when he was 14. He farmed 175 acres (71 ha) of her land and then inherited 100 acres (40 ha) when she died in 1875. He opened a quarry, cut the stone, and built this house in 1885. It was the last house that was built of quarried native limestone constructed by local builders. The house is a square, two-story structure that is composed of ashlar stone, and capped with a hip roof. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
The William R. and Martha Foster Shriver House is a historic residence located in Winterset, Iowa, United States. William R. Shriver was an Ohio native who settled in Jefferson County, Iowa before he moved to Madison County in 1853–54. He married Martha Foster in 1858 in Winterset. He was a wagon-maker by trade, and served as a lieutenant in the 1st Iowa Cavalry during the American Civil War. Shriver went into farming in the 1870s, and they left this house at that time. He went on to serve as the Clerk of District Court from 1882 to 1887. The Shrivers left Iowa for California in 1890 because of Martha's health. She died there that same year, and William returned to Iowa permanently in 1900.
The J.G. and Elizabeth S. Vawter House is a historic residence located in Winterset, Iowa, United States. J.G. Vawter settled in Winterset in 1854 and was a local merchant. His wife Elizabeth owned this house. They left the community sometime before 1865. This 2½-story structure is composed of locally quarried limestone. Its construction is attributed to Caleb Clark, and it is the first mansion built in Madison County. It features a main entry with a protruding arched, hood mold and a fan-shaped transom, large windows on the south elevation, lintels with cornices, two stone chimneys, a louvred attic window, and icicle-shaped bargeboards. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
The William Anzi Nichols House is a historic residence located east of Winterset, Iowa, United States. Nichols bought an 80 acres (32 ha) farm in 1855 and owned the land until he died in 1867. This house is an early example of a vernacular limestone farmhouse. The 1½-story structure is composed of locally quarried finished cut and rubble limestone. Its construction is attributed to David Harris who was known for laying the stones in a two against one broken bond. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
The John and Fredericka Meyer Schnellbacher House is a historic residence located southwest of Winterset, Iowa, United States. The Schnellbachers were native Germans who settled in Madison County in 1855. He farmed 240 acres (97 ha), and was a preacher affiliated with the Evangelical Association of Ohio. This house is an early example of a vernacular limestone farmhouse. The 1½-story structure is composed of locally quarried stone that is almost ashlar finished and rubble. It features unique window and door surrounds on the main facade, a stone chimney, and an exposed basement. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
The McDonald House is a historic residence located west of Winterset, Iowa, United States. William and Barbara McDonald settled in Madison County during the Civil War, and bought this farm in the 1870s. Although not as early as others in the county, this house is a good example of a vernacular limestone farmhouse. This 1½-story structure is composed of locally quarried stone. Its construction is attributed to David Harris, who was one of the last stonemasons still working in the county when this was built. It follows an asymmetrical massed rectangular plan, and it is built on a slightly raised basement. It features two-against-one broken bond, and textured stone characteristic of Harris' work. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
The Hiram C. Smith House is a historic residence located west of Winterset, Iowa, United States. Smith was one of the earliest settlers in this township, having acquired the deed to the 280-acre (110 ha) farm between 1854 and 1856. This house is an early example of a vernacular limestone farmhouse. It is a 1½-story, one-room structure composed of rubble stone quarried on the farm and laid in a random bond. Its construction is attributed to Smith, as its rough and simple construction do not reflect the work of any of the stonemasons working in the county at the time it was built. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. His milking shed, built about the same time and on the same property, is also listed on the National Register.
The Hiram C. Smith Milking Shed is a historic building located west of Winterset, Iowa, United States. Smith was one of the earliest settlers in this township, having acquired the deed to the 280-acre (110 ha) farm between 1854 and 1856. This building is an early example of a vernacular limestone farm building. It is a single-story, gabled structure composed of rubble stone that was quarried along the Middle River on the farm and laid in a random bond. Its construction is attributed to Smith, as its rough and simple construction do not reflect the work of any of the stonemasons working in the county at the time it was built. The milking shed was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. His single-room house, built about the same time, is also listed on the National Register.
The W.J. and Nettie J. Cornell House, also known as the Samuel G. & Sophia J. Ruby House, and the A. W. & Martha A. Crawford House, is a historic residence located in Winterset, Iowa, United States. Cornell was a banker who hired local contractor Fred Lewis to erect this Queen Anne house from 1893 to 1896. He and his wife lived here for a couple of years when they sold the house to the Rubeys for $5,000 in 1898. Samuel Ruby was a railroad lawyer who served as Consul to Belfast during the Benjamin Harrison administration. The wrap-around porch was added to the house during the Ruby's occupancy. A. W. Crawford was a grocer who acquired his wealth through land speculation in Texas, while living in Winterset. He was known for his local philanthropy.
The Henry C. Wallace House is a historic residence located in Winterset, Iowa, United States. Wallace was the father of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Henry C. Wallace, Jr. and the grandfather of U.S. Vice President Henry A. Wallace. He was a Presbyterian minister who moved to Winterset in 1877. He bought this Italianate house in 1882 from H.C. Price, who had it built. He and his wife Nanie owned the house for nine years when they sold it in March 1891. While he lived in town he became involved with the local newspaper business and bought the Winterset Chronicle and the Madisonian. He would go on to be the editor of the Iowa Homestead, a leading farm publication in Des Moines, and found Wallace's Farmer.
The C.D. Bevington House and Stone Barn are historic buildings located in Winterset, Iowa, United States. Bevington was a pharmacist who passed through the area in 1849 on his way to the California Gold Rush. He settled in Winterset in 1853 after he made his fortune, and worked as a real estate agent and farmer. The house was built in the vernacular Gothic in 1856. The 2½-story brick structure features Gothic windows in the gable ends and carved bargeboards. The two porches were added around the turn of the 20th century. The two-story barn is composed of coursed rubble limestone. The lower level housed two horse stalls and stanchions for other livestock. A hay loft was on the upper level. The house and barn were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Both buildings were donated to the Madison County Historical Society and are part of their museum complex.
The Guiberson House is a historic residence located in Winterset, Iowa, United States. Edwin R. Guiberson settled in Winterset in the late 1840s, and worked as a lot agent selling property after the town was platted. He also served a term as County Judge. Calib Clark, a local stonemason, is credited with building this house from 1861 to 1865. The two-story structure is composed of locally quarried limestone that is laid in a random ashlar pattern. The five bay facade features entry ways in the second and fourth bays. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
The Nicholas Schoenenberger House and Barn is a historic residence located south of Winterset, Iowa, United States. Nicholas and Louisa (Tinnis) Schoenenberger were both natives of what is now Germany and acquired the title to this farm in 1856. He worked the land until the late nineteenth century, and died here in 1902. Since his death the house has been vacant for long periods of time. This house is an early example of a vernacular limestone farmhouse. The two-story gable structure is composed of locally quarried finished cut stone on the public facades, the quoins, and the jambs. Rubble stone is used on the other elevations. It also features dressed lintels and window sills. Because it is located on a south facing hillside, the house has a split-level appearance. Because it shares characteristics with other stone houses built in Madison County by local stonemason Caleb Clark, he may have been responsible for its construction. The lower level of the English-style barn is composed of coursed limestone rubble, and the upper level is composed of board-and-batten siding. It is located in a German-style hill setting. The house and barn were listed together on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
The Sprague, Brown, and Knowlton Store is a historic building located in Winterset, Iowa, United States. Built in 1866 to house a dry goods store, it is an early example of a vernacular limestone commercial building. The two-story structure is composed of locally quarried ashlar and rubble stone. It features chamfered quoins and jambs, and a bracketed stone cornice. Its construction has been attributed to local stonemason David Harris. The storefront has subsequently been altered. The building was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, and it was included as a contributing property in the Winterset Courthouse Square Commercial Historic District in 2015.
The White, Munger and Company Store is a historic building located in Winterset, Iowa, United States. Built in 1861 by Evan V. Evans who owned the property the building sits on, it is an early example of a vernacular limestone commercial building. The two-story structure is composed of locally quarried ashlar and rubble stone. It features a false front that hides the gable roof, a parapet with a bracketed stone cornice and cornice return. The storefront has subsequently been altered. White, Munger and Company operated a woolen mill east of town, and this store was associated with the mill. The building was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, and it was included as a contributing property in the Winterset Courthouse Square Commercial Historic District in 2015.
Winterset Courthouse Square Commercial Historic District is a nationally recognized historic district located in Winterset, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015. At the time of its nomination the district consisted of 82 resources, including 74 contributing buildings, seven noncontributing buildings, and one noncontributing object. The historic district covers most of the city's central business district in the original town plat. Most of the buildings are two-story, brick, commercial buildings. The commercial Italianate style is dominant, with Queen Anne, Romanesque Revival, and Neoclassical styles included. The Madison County Courthouse (1878) is a Renaissance Revival structure designed by Alfred H. Piquenard. Most of the buildings are brick construction, but four were constructed using locally quarried limestone. The stone buildings include the courthouse, the White, Munger and Company Store (1861), and the Sprague, Brown, and Knowlton Store (1866), all of which are individually listed on the National Register.
