Take a trip back in time with a visit to the 1871 Italianate house in the lovely Loess Hills area of Southwest Iowa. It has been restored and features period rooms from its construction until the 1940s. Thelma Ferrel, the last owner, gave the house and it's contents to the society and since then it has been restored and contains many treasures.

For more information about the Ferrel House call 712-625-4411.

The land was purchased by Anson Rood and wife, Clarissa, from Volney A. Bass in 1870. They bought 240 acres of farmland. The information which Thelma Ferrel left us indicates the house was built in or about 1871. The 1875 Fremont County Atlas does show a building in this location and also a blacksmith shop south of the house location. We have not found an abstract to verify this. An abstract has been located at the court house which indicate the house could have been built later in 1881. Two knowledgeable people who are curators and have been to the house, feel the house is much more likely to have been built in 1871. It probably will be a mystery we may never have the correct answer to.

The Rood family consisting of eight children and their parents surely enjoyed the spacious twelve room house. They owned the house until 1907 when Cora (the daughter who inherited from her father) sold the house to Charles Travelute.

During the ownership of the Rood family, a natatorium was located south of the house. The dictionary declares this to be a swimming pool. According to newspaper accounts, a manager was hired and “dips” were $0.l0 or 3 for $0.25. This was a popular place during the summer. Apparently, the Travelute family filled this in because they were afraid someone would get hurt.

The Travelutes sold the house to their son, Fred Travelute in 1920. He and his family lived there until the house was sold to Thelma Ferrel in 1936.

Thelma and her parents lived in the house from that time on. As each of her parents passed away, less of the house was actually lived in by Thelma. She had every room filled with family heirlooms and antiques but lived only in the downstairs in her later years.

At her death in 1994, the house and property came to the Fremont County Historical Society to be preserved as part of Fremont County history. The house, wash—house, and carriage house are now open to the public to tell the stories of the three families who lived there.

Tours are available throught several yearly open house events and by appointment. (712-625-4411). No admission is charged but donations are welcome. It is also available for luncheons, teas, and bus tours.

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