217 Franklin adds boathouse charm to River Bend Neighborhood Tour
The charming red house at 217 Franklin boasts a new master suite addition since the last time it was included in the River Bend Neighborhood Home Tour. The property has a long and colorful history.
Benjamin F. Allen, the same man who eventually built Iowa governor’s mansion Terrace Hill, originally purchased this land from the United States government on June 1, 1850.
After a couple of other owners, the land came into the Kunsch family, who owned the property from 1877 to 1900. It was during the Kunsches’ ownership that the land was leased to a John Bunz, who used it for an ice house at a rate of $60 per year.
In 1948, Wilma Hall Randolph assumed ownership of the property. That same year, an easement agreement was reached with the adjoining property, allowing a driveway to pass to the property. The house was built around this time.
In 1958, the Hall family sold the house to Byron and Lydia Monteith.
In 1974, the Monteiths sold the house to Sondra and Wayne Fleming. The Flemings loved water-skiing and built the dock and boat hoist for their skiing sons.
In 1996, Julia Martinusen bought the house because of its river access and boathouse-cabin atmosphere. She’s currently the President of the Des Moines Rowing Club and rows from the house almost every day in the spring and summer. Her racing single is stored in the garage.
Julia married Randall Wilson in 2004, introducing kayaks and canoes to the house. In 2005, they expanded the house by adding a master suite over the garage. Silent Rivers did the design work to give the addition the feel of the pilot house of a boat, keeping with the nautical theme.
