4111 Tonawanda, Des Moines IA
Demolished February 14, 2013 9:00 AM
A summary of photos and articles documenting recent abuse of a local historic landmark. -The Home Explorer
Video: Steve Wilke Shapiro
Hud Weeks’ former residence, the irreplaceable double-Lustron next to Salisbury House was demolished yesterday. DeCarlo had commenced demolition by 9 am, much to the chagrin of Salisbury House staff when they sent out the “alarm”. The demo permit was issued over the counter at about 11:30.
For your online viewing pleasure -
“Yesterday morning, I had a doctor’s appointment, so I arrived at Salisbury House around 9:40, two and half hours later than my normal early bird tendencies get me here. Literally, as I opened my car door, I heard a tremendous smashing sound, and looked west … just in time to see a huge backhoe drive straight into Hud’s house with its arm swinging. The garage had already been knocked down at this point, and the Lustron and atrium portions of the house were flattened in less than 30 minutes, the prefabricated materials easily scattered by the power of the backhoe’s arm. Only the pool house remained.” Read More.
Who originally built and lived in the double Lustron?
Nellie and Hud Weeks, 1938. (Photo courtesy Cooper Weeks). Photo:Salisbury House
Hud was an avid outdoorsman, pilot and speedboat racer. He married Ellen “Nellie” Cooper — the daughter of legendary speedboater Jack “Pop” Cooper and a record setting racer in her own right — in 1938, and the young couple moved into the gardener’s cottage at Salisbury House (now our Visitors Center and Gift Shop) by 1940. Around 1950, Carl and Edith Weeks subdivided their original Salisbury House property to produce a 2.5 acre lot at the western end, separated from the main house by a deep ravine, for Hud and his family (now including son Cooper and daughter Barbara) to build their own home, a task to which Hud applied his usual exuberance and creative elan.
Photo: Rachel Buse
Photo: Rachel Buse
Photo: Rachel Buse
Photo: Rachel Buse
Photo: Rachel Buse
Photo: Rachel Buse
Photo: Rachel Buse
Photo: Rachel Buse
Photo: Rachel Buse
Photo: Rachel Buse
Photo: Rachel Buse
agggh…notice beautiful square knobs missing, light fixture swap to suckage and sans pink in the bathroom. A man lived here for less than two years and unnecessarily and terribly “updated” this beautiful mid century california ranch and now wants $15,000+. Yeah right. Heavy houses caught you sir!
This brews a sad/mad soup in my soul. Man, I know who you are and you are a ruiner of good things.
