LeClaire in Scott County, Iowa — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
The Jacob Suiter House
LeClaire Pilot's Houses
— Scott County Cody Trail —
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 8, 2023
1. The Jacob Suiter House Marker
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1860.
Location. 41° 35.765′ N, 90° 20.709′ W. Marker is in LeClaire, Iowa, in Scott County. Marker is on South 2nd Street south of Dodge Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 214 S 2nd St, Le Claire IA 52753, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Horton-Suiter House (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Green Tree / Buffalo Bill Trail (about 800 feet away); LeClaire's Rapid Pilots (approx. 0.2 miles away); LeClaire Veterans Monument (approx. 0.2 miles away); The George Tromley, Jr. House (approx. 0.2 miles away); LeClaire City Hall (approx. 0.2 miles away); Buffalo Bill Museum (approx. 0.2 miles away); The James Gamble House (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in LeClaire.
Regarding The Jacob Suiter House. Excerpt from the National Register of Historic Places nomination for the house:
Jacob Suiter (1828-1904) was of the second generationof Suiters to follow the river trade as a raft and rapids pilot. His account book lists many of the boats he piloted, including “Stillwater”, “Eclipse”, “Le Claire Belle”, and “Silver Crescent”. $10.00 appears to have been the standard rate for a trip over the Upper Rapids during the l870's.
Click or scan to see
this page online
The house is also of architectural interest. It is essentially a smaller, simpler version of the Dawley House (127 S. 2nd St.), with clean lines and typical bracketed cornice of the vernacular Italianate style.
Jacob Suiter was among three sons of Philip Suiter who followed their father and became raft and rapids pilots. For many years he operated the raft boat Rambo in partnership with C.P. Disney. He died of pleuritis a week after his younger brother William, also a rapids pilot, was found frozen to death.
Also see . . . Jacob Suiter House (PDF). National Register of Historic Places documentation of the house, which was listed in 1979 as part of the Houses of Mississippi River Men Thematic Resource submittal. (National Archives) (Submitted on August 8, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 8, 2023
2. The Jacob Suiter House Marker
Unknown via The Buffalo Bill Museum (Public Domain)
3. Jacob Suiter (1828-1904)
Credits. This page was last revised on August 8, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 8, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 78 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 8, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
