One of my friends called it an "amazing home, a mansion really." After seeing it myself, I agree 100%. It also holds important pieces of Cedar Rapids history.

I toured the incredible three-story home at 2315 Linden Drive SE today. It's a whopping 5,131 square feet. Yes, it really is a mansion. That's not all, though. The property also boasts a very serene and picturesque total of 1.347 acres.

The house was built in 1913, 28 years after the famous Brucemore mansion. The two houses were both designed by famous local architects Henry Josselyn and Eugene Taylor, according to a report done by Michael Kontz, the son of the current owner. The report, done in 1995, was accessible today during the open house. It states the home is believed to be the last residential building designed by the pair.

Henry Josselyn and Eugene Taylor's connection to Cedar Rapids doesn't end with those two buildings. Brucemore says the men were also in charge of plans for St. Luke's and Mercy Hospitals in the early 1900's, along with the Carnegie Library (part of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art today), and more. Taylor is also credited with pushing for Cedar Rapids to purchase Mays Island and helping the city prepare the island to house the government buildings that sit on it today.

The connection between this house and Brucemore doesn't end with the architects. The two houses also shared the same landscaper, O.C. Simonds. The Cultural Landscape Foundation says Simonds was a founding member of the American Society of Landscape Architects. He was responsible for Brucemore's landscaping in the early 1900's, and was the original landscaper for this Linden Drive home. According to Wikipedia, many of Simonds' works are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Here are some pictures from the report I referenced above. They show the architectural plans for all four elevations and a photo of each. The remaining photographs are from the current listing for the home:

The house has a Grand entry, formal dining and living rooms, eat-in kitchen, two 3-season rooms (one that features an incredible view of the expansive backyard), a half bath, and laundry room... and that's just on the main level. The second floor has four bedrooms, two full baths, and another beautiful sun porch. There are two more bedrooms and an original billiard room, on the third floor. I didn't even mention the fact it has original woodwork, gorgeous oak floors, high ceilings, three fireplaces, and that it's totally secluded... it can't be seen from Linden Drive.

During my visit, Realtor Karen Mathison quietly shared with me that she can't believe it hasn't already sold. I agree. It's a lot of home. It's a lot of history. It's a wealth of opportunity and it's listed at $339,000... more than $50,000 below its assessed value.

You can see many more photos of the home and get contact information for the Realtor HERE.

[via BruemoreCBH Realty, Cultural Landscape FoundationBrucemore, and Wikipedia]

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