ORD 34245 - Landmark Designation - Keirle House C3-97-4
ORDINANCE NO 3`/�'VS
AN ORDINANCE to designate the Keirle House and site, located at 3017 Mormon Street as a
landmark pursuant to the Landmark Heritage Preservation Ordinance of the City of Omaha
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OMAHA
Section 1 That the Keirle House and site, located at 3017 Mormon Street, which is on the
following described land, to wit.
Lots 2 and 3, Block 44, Florence, City of Omaha, Douglas County,Nebraska
Section 2 That for the reasons recited in Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission
Resolution attached hereto as Exhibit "A", and made a part hereof as if fully set forth herein, the
architectural characteristics, grounds and social heritage of the Keirle House and site, are hereby
deemed significant and worthy of preservation
Section 3 That the "Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for
Rehabilitating Buildings", as may be from time to time amended, are hereby adopted as the design
standards to be applied in the enforcement of this Ordinance and Chapter 24, Article II, of the
Omaha Municipal Code
Section 4 That the Keirle House and site is hereby designated pursuant to Section 24-61 of
the Omaha Municipal Code, and hereby subject to all of the provisions of this Ordinance and
Chapter 24, Article II, of the Omaha Municipal Code
•
Ordinance No. 3 s—
Page 2
Section 5. That this Ordinance shall be in full force and take effect fifteen(15) days from
and after the date of its passage.
INTR UC BY COUNCILMEMBER
APPR V BY:
/qq
OR OF THE CITY OF OMAHA E
PASSED JUL 1 5 1997
ATTEST:
I ERK THE CITY OF OMAHA DA,iE 1
APPROVED A TO F .
A SISTAN CITY TO DATE
P:\PLN2\4991.SAP
RESOLUTION - EXHIBIT A
THE KEIRLE HOUSE
LANDMARKS HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION
RESOLVED BY THE LANDMARKS HERITAGE PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF OMAHA
WHEREAS, the Florence Historical Foundation is the owner of the Keirle House at
3017 Mormon Street, and,
WHEREAS, the owner has requested that the Keirle House, and the garage, be
designated as a Landmark under the City of Omaha's Landmarks Preservation Ordinance, and,
1 WHEREAS, the Keirle House is an important element of the Council approved
Florence Park Neighborhood Conservation District, and,
WHEREAS, the Keirle House was built in 1905, and,
WHEREAS, the Keirle House was built for Charles and Julia Keirle, and,
WHEREAS, the Keirle House is significant architecturally as a fine example of the
vernacular 'classic box' style in Omaha, and,
WHEREAS,the Keirle House combines Queen Anne and classical revival features,
including an asymmetncal plan, wrap around porch with extensive columns, entablature, and porte
cochere, lap siding,roof dormers,matching detached garage, band-saw and turned fret work,parquet
floors, and Palladian window that all contribute to an eclectic composition, and,
WHEREAS, the grounds with many large mature trees, landscaping, curved drive
through the porte cochere,fountain,and the siting of the house itself are important character defining
elements, and,
WHEREAS,the building is significant as the residence of Charles Keirle, who was
a Florence businessman who sold ice and later built streets in South Omaha, and,
WHEREAS, Maude Keirle, his daughter, was a unique, colorful individual of the
Florence area who was unfortunately murdered in the house, and,
WHEREAS, it is the intent of the owner to use the structure as a historic residence
with tours, and until then, as temporary offices, and,
WHEREAS,this case application and supporting data are attached hereto as exhibits,
and incorporated herein by this reference
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LANDMARKS HERITAGE
PRESERVATION COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF OMAHA
THAT,the Keirle House,3017 Mormon Street,be designated a Landmark of the City
of Omaha
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P VPLN2\6227 SKZ I"
Landmarks Hentage Preservation Commission but t we only
Application for Landmark cue file numbed
or Landmark Heritage District heanne dates
u1Pc _
kEf� FRm<L`," It in 6
1. Name of Structure: City Council t
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30)7 / 7 tCi I VON S7 ?EEr oa No 2. Location / Address: L
3. Applicant:
name r( (ZFNC Ism RjOff_ FocuvDfr Io/J
address J
0mtr/Q /U W D ula phone
4. Classification:
Category Ownership Status
0 district ❑public 0 occupied
Eirtbuilding(s) 0 private CI occupied
❑ structure Cl both twork in progress
❑ site ❑public acquisition
❑ object
Present list
❑ agriculture 0 museum
❑ commercial 0 park
❑ educational 0 private residence
0 entertainment 0 religious
0 government ❑ scientific
0 industrial Op-an sportation
0 militarym O (expla
0 vacant 07 164, *Pk b(9 1-
5. Owner of Property:
/r y� U p ra , r r
name FLO REM CC J7 !S S DIVt(A L. roil o,9n oA
address 1D/'7 rrioiinoN cT14f,P:T
omn1/4 , Ii2- Phone 1+S7 -5.34I
6. Legal Description:
Leirsa Ric) b3, eLotK 4-P- F tic KEN CE
apphcatton cont'dbn'back KW.
7. Historic Description and Significance: Please provide as thorough a descnpuon as possible This
should include but is not limited to architectural styles and features,site elements landscaping/urban design elements,
architects builders and owners Copies of architectural drawings,photos and similar documents are encouraged.
Include a statement explaining whs the item/property/district is historically significant The Landmarks Commission
staff will assist you in filling out this portion if necessary Use additional sheets if necessan
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please return the completed application to Preservation Administrator, Omaha Planning Department , L,
1819 Farnam St, Omaha,NE 68183
THE KEIRLE HOUSE
The Keirle House, at 3017 Mormon Street, is located in historic Florence
It is at the west side of a plateau and foot of a high steep bluff It is across the
street from the Florence town square, which along with the streets, was laid out
by the Mormons in 1846 as part of the famed Winter Quarters, a two year
occupation that was the first organized white community in the state of
Nebraska. The square was the common coral The Keirle House is in this
setting
The house is named for the only family that ever lived there This sole
occupancy ended in 1994 with the unfortunate murder of 94 year old Maude
Keirle, the last member of the family Maude was born in 1899 Her parents,
Charles and Julia Keirle, built the house in 1905 When they and their two
children moved in, their son Clifford was 13 and Maude was 5 They and their
two Children lived in the house their entire lives.
In terms of style, the Keirle House is a Midwest example of the 'classic box', a
vernacular style with elements, in this cass, associated with several turn-of-the-
century movements including Queen Anne and classical revival Numerous
details like. an asymmetrical plan, wrap around porch with extensive columns
and entablature, lap siding, roof dormers, matching detached garage, band-saw
and turned fret work, parquet floors, and a Palladian window contribute to the
eclectic, stately ensemble The many large trees and previously landscaped
grounds are extensions of the park to the south and create a lush, peaceful
environment near the rush of busy 30th Street.
The Keirle House is, a positive and important factor in maintaining the historical
character of the entire Florence town square area The square is unique in
Omaha. Of all the formerly independent towns to be incorporated into Omaha,
Florence is the only one to have a town square, a feature that is more commonly
found in small towns throughout Nebraska The Florence town square
embodies, or is surrounded by, elements that have come to define town
squares such as a central location, proximity to a business district and
important community buildings, public meeting platforms and monuments They
also serve as a prominent and well landscaped open space and as an
important focal point for the houses of important citizens. One such residence
in this case is the Keirle House which occupies a quarter of the block on the
south side of the square This distinctive property is aesthetically connected
and interrelated to the square The square, the historic Keirle property and the
many mature trees in the area are important character defining elements of the
Florence Park Neighborhood Conservation District; a recent City Council
approved district.
The house is historically significant, not only for its fine period architectural
integrity and grounds, but also for its representation of the social and economic
life of the upper middle class in the early years of this century The home was
occupied by two generations of one family for ninety years, never remodeled
and is complete with furnishings, fixtures, clothing, and other details of the
period giving a complete picture of their life in the entire twentieth century
Often only the mansions and lives of the very wealthy are preserved as
examples of life in previous times
The Keirle's property originally included the entire block They penned a large
number of cattle on the half block to the east of the house which was later sold
off to St. Phillip Nen's Church The southwest quarter was recently sold to the
church to help pay for restoration
Charles Keirle cut and solid ice The company was located where Kelly's Bowl
is now Maude sometimes went with her father to cut ice from the reservoir but
was never allowed to go when he cut ice from the Missouri River Reservoir ice
was kept separate from river ice and cost more because it was clearer Charles
still sold ice after the introduction of refrigerators He tried selling the new
appliances, but after a while he turned to contracting and laid streets in South
Omaha At that time Florence, Omaha and South Omaha were individual cities
and Maude remembered that she had to go through three cities to visit her
father's office
`A Ci
Clifford, eight years older than Maude, graduated from the University of
Nebraska as a Civil Engineer. He worked for several companies in many areas
of the world and owned his own firm in Omaha. Clifford enjoyed bowling and
was an avid golfer In 1974 he hit a hole-in-one at Happy Hollow Country Club
at the age of 82, after 53 years of golfing Clifford died of a stroke in 1984, at the
age of 93
As Maude grew up, she became very interested in music She taught music,
was a church organist and played piano for silent movies Maude enjoyed
traveling and in 1930 flew from England to Pans on the City of Manchester. "It
was a crate They gave us box lunches My uncle wouldn't fly back with me,"
she said. Very active, Maude shingled one side of the house roof in the 1970's
when she was in her mid-seventies; Clifford, in his eighties, shingled the other
side
Maude never married When asked why not, she replied, "I never got ready,
and I liked a good time I couldn't see being with the same guy all the time "
Maude cared for her parents during their last illness Julie died in 1962 and
Charles sometime before that No out-of-date, musty Victorian, she With a
twinkle in her eye, she would ask, "The Walkers, you know, have a vineyard
outside of town Would you like a glass of wine," Maude's untimely death in
1994 at the age of 94, interrupted a life, lived to the fullest. From her daily chin-
ups to her sense of humor, Maude's life spanned a Victorian childhood to the
space age, as does the stately house and grounds where she lived.
The house was completely restored during 1996 by the volunteer efforts of the
Florence Historical Foundation. It is currently occupied by the Foundation and
the Uta Halee Organization. It still retains its original woodwork, fixtures, and
many furnishings
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