Sturdivant-Sawyer House

Centerville, United States

Exterior only

Visible from the street; the inside is private.

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Heritage registerNational Register of Historic Places↗

Built in 1902 in Centerville, Iowa, the Sturdivant-Sawyer House was constructed by Francis M. Drake, former Governor of Iowa and founder of Drake University, as a wedding gift for his daughter Mary Drake Sturdivant. The residence blends Colonial Revival stylistic elements with an Italian Villa-type plan, distinguished by two cyrtostyle porches with balconies above on its north and west elevations and a Palladian window on the main west facade. The house passed through several notable owners, including J. L. Sawyers, who operated a medical clinic there from 1908 to 1914, and Frank S. Payne, a local attorney and utilities company president. A basement-level garage was added before 1924, followed by a sun porch in the mid-1950s. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.