Wells-Stubbs House

Fairfield, United States

Exterior only

Visible from the street; the inside is private.

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Heritage registerNational Register of Historic Places↗

The Wells-Stubbs House is a historic residence in Fairfield, Iowa, built in 1874 for George and Priscilla Wells as a two-story frame house in the vernacular Italianate style. The dwelling acquired broader significance through its residency from 1877 to 1905 by Daniel P. Stubbs, a prominent attorney, Greenback Party leader, and former Iowa state senator and mayor of Fairfield. The original design features bracketed eaves and a centered main entry—an unusual arrangement for local vernacular buildings of the era. In 1900, Stubbs undertook a substantial renovation that introduced Neoclassical details and added a prominent entry tower and porch, improvements intended to elevate the house's status to match his own prominence. The property also encompasses two outbuildings from Stubbs's era: a shed and summer kitchen near the rear porch and a barn at the rear property line. The house and its outbuildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.