Charles H. and Lena May Weitz House

Des Moines, United States

Exterior only

Visible from the street; the inside is private.

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Located in Des Moines, Iowa, the Charles H. and Lena May Weitz House is a Colonial Revival frame dwelling built around 1891 by Charles H. Weitz, a partner and elder son of the founder of the prominent construction firm Charles Weitz & Sons. The 1½-story residence features a distinctive gable-front-and-wing configuration with a front porch set within the el of the facade, a single-story bay window on the south elevation, a dormer window, and steeply pitched roofs. Behind the house stands a rare two-story brick outbuilding, also constructed circa 1891, originally serving as Weitz's workshop. The outbuilding is notable as one of the few brick structures of its kind surviving in the neighborhood. Charles H. Weitz was instrumental in introducing modern construction methods to the family business, enabling its growth into a nationally recognized general contractor. Both structures were designated to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.