Probable History
The house at 1316 East 12th is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was likely built shortly after
the civil war by Israel Hall, the first or one of the first undertakers in Davenport. Prior to the civil war, undertakers were
primarily cabinetmakers. The civil war necessitated developing techniques for preserving bodies for transport, and gradually
became what we think of today.
His undertaking business was located on Perry street, not in this house - this house was built for his retirement after the Civil
War. Mr. Hall lived out the rest of his life there, and his daughter and son-in-law inherited the house. Mr. Whitaker and his
wife lived in the house until they passed away in the late 1940's. To honor the only two families that lived in the house for it's
first 80 years, we refer to this house as Whitaker Hall.
Much of the mouldings are from the 1860's era. There was an addition to the back in the 1880's, when undoubtedly the art
glass was added, primarily on the west side. When we stripped much of the paint in 2000, shadow lines of columns could be
seen of the original portico - look between the two lower right windows. Wraparound porches are of an architectural lexicon
much later in the Victorian era.
Around 1950, during the housing crunch after World War II, the house was split into a fourplex, and the floor plan has
remained the same to today. During this time the house had several owners, the most notable being the acclaimed regionalist
painter John Bloom and his wife Isabel Bloom, well known for her concrete garden sculptures.
The house at 1316 East 12th is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was likely built shortly after
the civil war by Israel Hall, the first or one of the first undertakers in Davenport. Prior to the civil war, undertakers were
primarily cabinetmakers. The civil war necessitated developing techniques for preserving bodies for transport, and gradually
became what we think of today.
His undertaking business was located on Perry street, not in this house - this house was built for his retirement after the Civil
War. Mr. Hall lived out the rest of his life there, and his daughter and son-in-law inherited the house. Mr. Whitaker and his
wife lived in the house until they passed away in the late 1940's. To honor the only two families that lived in the house for it's
first 80 years, we refer to this house as Whitaker Hall.
Much of the mouldings are from the 1860's era. There was an addition to the back in the 1880's, when undoubtedly the art
glass was added, primarily on the west side. When we stripped much of the paint in 2000, shadow lines of columns could be
seen of the original portico - look between the two lower right windows. Wraparound porches are of an architectural lexicon
much later in the Victorian era.
Around 1950, during the housing crunch after World War II, the house was split into a fourplex, and the floor plan has
remained the same to today. During this time the house had several owners, the most notable being the acclaimed regionalist
painter John Bloom and his wife Isabel Bloom, well known for her concrete garden sculptures.
| 1316 East 10th Street |
