Denkmann-Hauberg House
Also known as: Hauberg Civic Center
Why it's listed
Set at the brow of a hill above the Mississippi River valley, this Rock Island mansion and its large carriage house sit on ten landscaped acres. Begun in 1909 for Suzanne Denkmann, daughter of a wealthy lumber family, it was finished in 1911, just as she and her husband, John Henry Hauberg, moved in. Prairie School architect Robert C. Spencer, a close friend of Frank Lloyd Wright, designed it in solid brick with cream-colored stucco, an irregular plan and ornament based on abstracted plant forms, including her favorite flower, the tulip. Jens Jensen laid out the grounds as a native woodland of birches and evergreens. Niedeken and Wallbridge executed the interiors. The nomination ranks it among the largest residences in Spencer's mature style and notes its aesthetic quality and its association with a prominent civic and welfare leader. The Hauberg heirs gave it to the city in 1956, and it opened as a civic center in 1957.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the largest residences in Robert Spencer's mature early modern style. Spencer was a close friend of Frank Lloyd Wright and shared his aim of reforming American architecture. It also cites the house's high aesthetic quality in composition and detail, and its link to a prominent Rock Island social and welfare leader.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 72000466, listed December 26, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1300 24th St., Rock Island |
|---|---|
| County | Rock Island County |
| Listed | December 26, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000466 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1909 |
| Architect / builder | Robert C. Spencer (architect); Jens Jensen (landscape architect); interiors executed by Niedeken and Wallbridge |
| Architectural style | Prairie School / early modern architecture |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the City of Rock Island and used as the Hauberg Civic Center; occupied, with tours by appointment. Condition marked as good. |
| Acreage | 10 |
| Coordinates | 41.49267, -90.57348 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 72000466.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5257899
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.