This structure is the oldest limestone building in the City of Waterloo. The house sits on the northern end of the city’s historic triangle district. It was built around 1866 by Thomas Chadwick, a master stonemason who emigrated to the area from England. The house was named for John F. Dunsmore, an employee of the Illinois Central Railroad and a waterworks supervisor for the railroad in the 1890s who lived in the home during the last quarter of the 1800s. By 1913, the house had been acquired by P.M. Michael, who made several structural alterations and additions.
The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
The house is currently owned by the City of Waterloo and has been sitting largely empty for the last 20 years. It is in a very dilapidated condition.
Waterloo’s City Council and Historic Preservation Commission are interested in rehabilitating the property but at present there is no long-range plan for the future use of the structure. The City has set aside Capital Improvement Funds to fund a portion of the rehabilitation of the property but the total cost to refurbish the property would be considerably more than what has been allocated.
