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Built in 1872, the Deere-Wiman House offers visitors a chance to step back into what life was like in the 1800s and 1900s. Nicknamed “Overlook” due to its location above Moline, Illinois, the house was built by Charles Deere, son of tractor tycoon John Deere, for his family. The home was originally built in the Victorian architectural style but underwent a series of renovations over the years. In 1899, a fire caused considerable damage and the roofline was changed.

After serving as the residence of four generations of Deere descendants, the family donated the home to the public following the death of Mrs. Pattie Southhall Wiman in 1976. Today, visitors can tour the grounds and interior and view many of the original furnishings, including a Kimball pipe organ and an 1890s elevator.

Located just a block away is Butterworth Center—the home Charles Deere built for his daughter, Katherine, and her husband, William Butterworth, as a wedding present in 1892. The Butterworths named their home Hillcrest and eventually tripled the footprint with additions—the first of which was the installation of a Bennet Organ Company pipe organ in 1909. A year later, the Butterworths overhauled the grounds’ landscaping, creating a lawn bowling field, a fountain, a gazebo and pathways. In 1917, they built a library specifically designed to house an 18th-century Italian ceiling painting from Venice, Italy. Visitors to the home can view both the gardens and living quarters. [1]

Discovering America: Reconnecting People and Places

The Great American Rail-Trail promises an all-new American experience. Through 12 states and the District of Columbia, the trail will directly serve nearly 50 million people within 50 miles of the route. Across the nation—and the world—only the limits of imagination will limit its use.

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