Carter House Museum

Brothers Henry and Ernest Carter built this elegant historic home in 1855. A fine example of Greek Revival architecture, it is now a museum showcasing what life was like in Elkader during the 19th and 20th centuries. The house, which is owned and operated by the Elkader Historical Society, features a red brick exterior, a one-story portico, and two side wings with porches. Inside, visitors will see 19th and 20th-century furniture, clothing, and artifacts. Attached to the house is an annex that contains military uniforms, old farm tools, early fire-fighting equipment, and a display of 19th-century drug store supplies. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

Ernest worked as a school teacher before becoming a merchant. He became president of a bank in 1859 and also served in the Civil War as a paymaster in the Union Army. However, it appears he contracted tuberculosis during the war and died shortly after returning home in 1866. Ernest and his wife did not have children of their own but did raise an orphan niece. As for Henry, he was also a banker. He and his wife, Harriet, had eight children; their sons followed in their father's footsteps and became bankers as well. The Carters supported prohibition and abolition and also helped establish a Congregationalist Church.

The Carters, except for Ernest's widow, sold the house and moved to Oregon in 1885. The next owners were Joe and Ella Lamm. Joe passed away in 1913 and Ella died in 1938. The house was then bought by William and Lina Reimer, who lived here until both died by the early 1980s. The Elkader Historical Society acquired the house in 1983 and proceeded to restore it to its original appearance.

"Carter House History." Carter House Museum. Accessed September 30, 2021. https://carterhousemuseum.com/history.

Koehm, Patricia. "Reimer House." National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. November 7, 1976. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/76000744_text.