The home of Donna Staver at 410 Central Ave. S.W., a cross-gabled Victorian in the Queen Anne style, will be open Saturday during the Tour of Historic Homes sponsored by the Le Mars Historic Preservation Commission. The house is painted in Victorian style in colors os green, melon and brown with tan. [Click to enlarge]

Editor's Note: This is the four in a series featuring the stops on Le Mars' annual Tour of Historic Homes.

Saturday's Tour of Historic Homes sponsored by the Le Mars Historic Preservation Commission features four homes in the Foster Park Historic District, including the home of Donna Staver at 531 Central Ave. S.W. Donna and her late husband, Ron, raised their family here with Foster Park as an extended play area for the children.

The house, considered a cross-gabled Victorian in the Queen Anne Style known as the "Suburban Cottage" features a wrap-around porch on the south and east sides and a two-story sleeping porch on the west.

The porch skirting panels have a vertical board pattern, an uncommon feature in the Foster Park neighborhood. The screening in the circular section was added later and allowed for cooler sleeping arrangements during hot summers.

Three or more colors are usually used for Victorian homes. This house was repainted last year using a green, melon, brown with tan.

Visitors enter the home through a beautifully grained oak door. The house proper is protected by a vestibule, which then leads into a large foyer. Both welcoming rooms employ the same dado material. It could be material commonly called 'elephant hide'. In fact, this may actually be elephant hide, as it appears to be pressed leather. Visitors will learn more about the interesting wall coverings during the tour.

A thick five-paneled door with decorative brass knobs and plates separates the two foyers. In the main foyer there are several very unusual things of interest: a full length beveled mirror, a plaster cast female figure set in with bolts, framed by filigree swag on painted burlap, pocket doors to both the front room and dining room. The mantel clock probably graced this home during the early Nicholson sojourn, as it was given to Donna by her aunt Mable Nicholson Mueller. The roll-top desk (1893) is from her Grandpa William Nicholson and has been refinished to match the woodwork. The room features a spectacular brass ceiling fixture with unusual etched bud-shaped glass.

Upstairs, the northeast bedroom and adjoining sitting room/closet are now used as the master bedroom. The Staver daughters used this as their bedroom. The ceiling fixture is an original enamel brushed with green as are the wall sconces.

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The 11-windowed sleeping porch was enclosed for the Staver boys. Ron packed the windows with insulation, and then inserted wood to provide for interior shelving. The brass game-table light is original, but no longer pulls down; the green shade is missing.

A door in the southeast bedroom leads to the open deck of the porch, which formerly had a railing around the exterior edge.

Downstairs in the front parlor visitors should note the stained and beveled, etched glass above the cottage window. Art work on the walls includes gifts from relatives who have worked in exotic and governmental offices throughout the world. Matching, but differently sized metal filigree ceiling fixtures hang in both of the sitting rooms. One original bulb remains, demonstrating the tan color.

A spectacular brass corner fireplace in the sitting room burns coal with the ashes dumping directly into the basement. It has vents running to the front bedrooms, so was used for central heating. By the doorway hangs the original temperature controls, complete with clock which metered the coal to fall into the furnace. When the house was electrified, brass switchplates were installed.

Heavy curtains probably hung between the sitting room and dining room. The ceiling fan is original, with the globe hanging by hooks. Donna says the fan is pretty noisy, but functional. Pearl button switches call for the appropriate task. Bay windows allow natural light and extra elbow room.

Behind the dining room was the butler's pantry which used to hold dishes. Now, it is a family gallery, lined with their handprints, shadow portraits, and family photos. A first floor bath was put into the pantry in the mid 1950s.

The much remodeled kitchen area has the microwave placed in the alcove of the former door. The porch has been enclosed. Entry to and from the basement area is accessed from the kitchen and porch. The basement walls are composed of rock and are 18 inches thick, making for a perfect wine cellar. In fact, listed on a piece of wood are dates/vintages of the wine.

Visitors may exit through the back porch and see the unuaul gabled two-story carriage house located at the southwest corner of the property. It has a hipped roof surmounted by intersecting gabled dormers. The dormers have unusually-cut shingle cladding and the other floors have horizontal weatherboard, or "Dutch lapped" siding with a story board protecting the windows. A walk on the alley side reveals the haymow doors which allowed hay to be piled high to throw down to horses stabled below.

Dutch doors allowed air circulation for the horses while keeping them inside.

The fish pond has been filled in. You'll notice curbing that indicate earlier walks to, perhaps, the outhouse or other out buildings. At least one cistern remains. A cherry tree provides color in the spring and fruit in the summer for humans and birds.

The Iowa Railroad Land Company first sold this land to Gilbert Post in 1886, passing through several short-term owners until Sarah Thielmann and her husband acquired it in 1899, probably completing the house shortly after, and holding it for the next 10 years. Frank Bennison who owned and operated a mercantile downtown retired in 1915, a year after selling this house. Ben Nicholson, Jr. a farmer, bought the property in 1914 and held it until 1928. Nicholson was one of four brothers who came to Le Mars from Scotland with financing provided by the Nicholson family. Like many of their fellow English Colonists, the brothers had interests in golf and racing horses and were involved in the old country club located at what is now 12th Street and Central Avenue South. Banker Gottlieb L Wernlie and wife made it their home for several years. The property passed to his son in 1942, Wallace H Wernlie, and subsequently to his son, Wallace John Wernlie in 1961. Senator J. Henry Lucken and wife, Caroline, lived in this home during several terms.

Ronald Staver and his wife, Donna Nicholson Staver, reared their seven children in this home, with the adjacent park providing a basketball practice area and extra yard space for their active and accomplished children.

This year's Tour of Historic Homes tour begins at the Le Mars Arts Center, 200 Central Ave. S.E. Tours leave from the Arts Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the houses closing at 5 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children under age 12.

For information, call 712-546-7184 or e-mail lemarsarts@frontiernet.net.