Plum Grove Historic Home

Plum Grove Historic Home was the residence of Robert and Friendly Lucas and their family. The Lucas family was originally from Ohio where all seven of their children were born and where Robert worked his way up through the Ohio Legislature to eventually serve two terms as Governor of the State of Ohio in the years 1832-1836. Robert was appointed by President Van Buren as the first governor of the Territory of Iowa in 1838 and served as governor until 1841. After leaving the office of governor in 1841, the Lucas family lived for a time in Bloomington (now Muscatine), though the family went back to Ohio for a short time in 1843 where Robert ran for Congress. He was defeated, and in the spring of 1844 they sold the family farm in Ohio, Friendly Grove, and returned to Iowa permanently. They built Plum Grove in 1844 on 360 acres of land (legally owned by Friendly) southeast of Iowa City. Robert lived there until his death in 1853. Friendly sold the house and remaining property in 1866. Today Plum Grove Historic Home sits on four acres of the original Lucas property and the seven-room, brick home is furnished to reflect the Lucas family’s residency in the 1840s-1850s. Free tours of the house offer a glimpse into the lives of the Lucas family and life in the Iowa Territory. Visitors to the site can also tour the historic vegetable and flower gardens that are both part of the Smithsonian’s Archives of American Gardens. The site is open seasonally. Please check website for open hours.