Later history and current status American Gothic House

bill wagner, letter robert weidenbach, february 2, 1960.

center staff assist in dressing visitors , taking photograph outside house.

in 1970s, series of letters between eldon businessmen , carl e. smith, newly-inherited owner of house, revealed differing opinions on continued use of house: smith wanted renovate house , protect vandalism only; eldon leaders more in favor of making house historic site. house abandoned of 1970s—a bullet fired in upstairs bedroom; weather , vandalism took toll well. in late 1980s did owner of property consider turning house on state. indeed, many southern iowans conflicted on issue—the owner wanted keep house because believed current renters have else go if forced leave.

after home placed on national register of historic places in 1974 (the result of application eldon farmer), owner refurbished house, installing indoor bathroom , electricity , restoring windows , wallpaper. local politicians believed such work coupled new museum , education center provide major boost local tourism—one state senator hoped many 100,000 visitors per year. after house s owner turned on property state historical society of iowa in 1991, effort made move house living history farms outside des moines, eldonians fought keep within city limits. house renovated in 1992, boosters hoping see house become pop-culture tourism attraction, field of dreams site in rural dyersville. today american gothic house center hosts approximately 15,000 visitors per year, not account additional after-hours visitors.

visitors encouraged view house outside , have photo taken—in fact, visitors center provides many sizes of similar aprons , jackets worn original painting s models. adjacent american gothic house center, completed in 2007, contains exhibits painting, artist grant wood, , community around house. each june, city of eldon holds gothic days festival, celebration of painting , rural life in eldon in 1930s. starting in 2015, tours began in first floor of home. gothic house not handicap accessible.