The J.D. McDonald House at 310 East Military Avenue in Fremont, Nebraska is one of the state’s show-piece late-Victorian residences. Completed in 1888, the two-and-a-half-story mansion blends exuberant Queen Anne massing with robust Romanesque Revival detailing, making it instantly recognizable by its cylindrical corner tower and elaborate wrap-around porches.
J.D. McDonald & the Gilded-Age Boom
Joseph Douglas McDonald (1846–1896) emigrated from Perth, Ontario and amassed a fortune building rail lines across the Midwest. After relocating to Fremont in 1886, he co-founded the Fremont Manufacturing Co., invested in a plaster-of-Paris mill in South Dakota, and sat on the board of the Fremont National Bank. Financial reversals and ill health culminated in his suicide inside the house in November 1896, ending the original family occupancy.
Architectural Highlights
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
| Materials | Pressed red brick walls trimmed with limestone, terra-cotta, and decorative shingles over a raised limestone foundation. |
| Tower & Bays | A rounded, engaged staircase tower capped by a conical roof; round-arched stained-glass windows with stone hoods echo the interior stairwell, while a projecting front bay is crowned by a keystoned fanlight. |
| Porches | Originally Eastlake-style wooden porches (removed c. 1950s); current wrought-iron and canopy replacements date to a 1957 remodel. |
| Interior Surviving Features | Encaustic tiled vestibule, an unusual curved oak staircase, multiple tiled fireplace mantels, leaded-glass pocket doors, and Art-Nouveau stained glass installed during a c. 1910 renovation. |
Changing Roles Through Time
- 1905 – 1930s: Converted to Kirby Hospital, Fremont’s first hospital; an elevator shaft and rear service wing were added for patient care.
- 1930s – 1975: Adapted as a funeral home by three successive proprietors; a carport and garage stalls were erected during this period.
- Since 1975: Purchased by designer Joan Cloeter and operated as the interior-design studio “Interiors by Joan,” preserving much of the original fabric while opening the space to the public.
Recognition & Preservation
The house occupies less than one acre yet commands its corner lot with picturesque rooflines, varied textures, and a vivid color palette typical of high-style Queen Anne architecture. Its architectural integrity and association with a prominent railroad entrepreneur earned it a place on the National Register of Historic Places on December 10, 1980
Quick Facts
- Architect: M.A. Ecker of Lincoln, Nebraska
- Style: Queen Anne with Victorian Romanesque accents
- Notable Feature: Cylindrical turret rising above an engaged staircase tower
- Original Owner: Joseph Douglas McDonald, railroad contractor & banker
- Current Use: Private commercial offices (“Interiors by Joan”)
Today the J.D. McDonald House remains a vivid reminder of Fremont’s late-19th-century prosperity, showcasing the craftsmanship, eclectic taste, and entrepreneurial spirit that shaped Nebraska’s railroad era.
