The "American Gothic" House in Eldon, Iowa is famous as the background of Grant Wood’s 1930 painting, American Gothic.  This painting has become an American icon, and has been the model for countless parodies.  The house still stands and is visited by thousands of people each year.

In 1930, artist Grant Wood took a tour of the small town of Eldon, Iowa and spotted a little white house with a large Gothic window.  He was inspired and quickly sketched the house and returned to his home in Cedar Rapids to do a painting of the house.  In later interviews, when asked why the house caught his eye, Wood said he found the Gothic window amusing and called it "pretentious" for such a small house.

The original part of the house containing the Gothic window was built in 1881-82 by Charles and Catherine Dibble.  He owned a livery stable in Eldon and it appears he later lost the house and it was sold for overdue taxes.  Over the years the house changed hands with the owners living in the house and in some cases using it as a rental property.  The State of Iowa acquired it in 1991 when then-owner Carl E. Smith donated it to the State Historical Society of Iowa. 

The great Gothic windows were believed to be for decorative purposes, and they were purchased through the Sears-Roebuck catalog.  Unknown to Grant Wood is that the front and rear windows were hinged so large pieces of furniture could be moved to the upper floor because the inner stairway was not suitable for moving furniture.

The beautifully crafted house still stands where it was first built.  At one time  there were discussions about moving it to a more convenient location, but it didn't happen.  Now after its listing on the National Register of Historic Places (listed as The Dibble House), the house is secure in its original location.

Today, adjacent to the house is a visitor's center.  The center features an exhibition gallery and provides costumes and props for visitors when they invariably pose in front of the house.