Albert Baird Cummins House

History

The Albert Baird Cummins House, also known as Terrace Tower, is a historic building located in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. This 2⁠1/2⁠-story stone and stucco Queen Anne was built in 1893. It is significant because of its association with Albert Baird Cummins who lived here from the time it was built until 1920. A Republican, Cummins served as Governor of Iowa from 1902 to 1908 and as United States Senator from 1908 until his death in 1926. He was a Progressive who supported the "Iowa Idea," which sought to destroy trusts by removing tariffs from trust made products. As a senator he sponsored the Esch-Cummins Act that returned the railroads to private control after the government took them over during World War I. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Albert Baird Cummins House”, CC BY-SA 4.0.

About Albert B. Cummins

Albert Baird Cummins was an American lawyer and politician. He was the 18th governor of Iowa, elected to three consecutive terms and U.S. Senator for Iowa, serving for 18 years. Cummins was a leader of the Progressive movement in Washington and Iowa. He fought to break up monopolies. Cummins' successes included establishing the direct primary to allow voters to select candidates instead of bosses; outlawing free railroad passes for politicians; imposing a two-cent street railway maximum fare; and abolishing corporate campaign contributions. He tried, with less success, to lower the high protective tariff in Washington.

From the Wikipedia article “Albert B. Cummins”, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Visiting

This building is recorded as a residence of the people listed; it may be privately owned and not open to the public. Opening times, tickets and access change, so check the official website before you travel. Get directions.