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 History of the Kingsley Inn
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Located in southeast Iowa, Kingsley Inn is named after Lieutenant Alpha Kingsley, who
selected the site for Old
Fort Madison and supervised its construction under the watchful
eyes of frontier Indians in 1808.  This
Victorian Inn now overlooks the authentically reconstructed fort just one hundred yards
away on the banks of the mighty Mississippi.
The building that is now home to Kingsley Inn was originally constructed in the
1850’s and served as a thriving multi-generational business known as Troy Laundry. In
fact, the long-empty fur vault still survives in quiet solitude in the basement. Quite
often our guests remember family members who worked at the laundry or lived in one of the
apartments above.Kingsley Inn is the ambitious undertaking of a corporation of nearly two
hundred citizens interested in preserving an important remnant of their river front
heritage, and a nostalgic piece of 19th century architecture. The remodeling included
capturing the very essence of mid-Victorian comfort, and lavish splendor, with each room
individually decorated and furnished in the period. Carefully selected antiques were
refinished and reupholstered, and supplemented with contemporary pieces in a traditional
style. The 1990 renovation won the Iowa Governor’s Award for the Best Reuse of an
Existing Building. Most of the furnishings for the inn were purchased regionally in order
to achieve an authentic Iowa look.  Several
pieces, such as the magnificent grand staircase, were rescued from local homes and
businesses which were being dismantled or demolished to make way for new construction. For
instance, the large mirror in the lobby came from the Bernard B. Hesse & Sons
men’s clothiers. Several faux-marble fireplaces were relocated from a small hotel in
East St. Louis and our distinctive lobby furnishings are from a fraternal lodge in eastern
Illinois.
Each room at the inn is named after a historical figure instrumental in Fort
Madison’s history. Notables include Mark Twain, Francis Scott Key, Meriwether Lewis
and Zebulon Pike. The doors to our rooms are left open and guests are invited to explore
the beautiful antiques and furnishings during their stay at Kingsley Inn.
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