Historic General Dodge House

Dad and I visited the Historic General Dodge House as a bookend to our trip to the nearby Union Pacific Railroad Museum. The house was built in 1869 and stands near downtown Council Bluffs as a stunning (and refurbished) architectural marvel.This was the home of Grenville M. Dodge, a Union Army general, politician, and a major figure in the development of the railroads across the American West. He was also a trusted counsellor to Presidents (Grant and Lincoln) and even served a term in Congress. Whether you want to drive by, walk around, or lose a couple hours inside, this place is well worth the visit. Also, don't miss the August Beresheim House right next door.

What a way to spend an afternoon in early November! When we walked up to the Beresheim House next door to get tickets, we were immediately greeted and welcomed. What a way to set the stage for a wonderful tour. There were helpful movies to view, gifts to buy, and two lovely houses to see. Free parking across the street made access easy. The Dodge House was completed in 1869. The Victorian Age had traveled across to America; new inventions, ideas, exploration and expansion, and technology were on the rise. This growth and the industrial revolution can be witnessed throughout these museums. There are tour guides and pamphlets to take you back to the time period. The tour guides are well-educated in this period of history and explain details so thoroughly! The trees were in full autumn glory and Christmas decorations were going up! The tour guides are so knowledgeable. And the tour is amazing! The history, rooms, and antiques in this house are very interesting. So much to see; you'll want to come back again!

Wanted to do something with his mom so I mentioned this tour and his mom thought it would be interesting. So we piled into the car and drove there. There's parking across the street in a lot or some street parking in front of the house. You have to check in at the house next door - the Beresheim house. There's three ways to tour the house - audio tour, guided tour or with a pamphlet on your own. Tom Emmett checked us in and he was friendly. I had spoken to him earlier on the phone to inquire about the tours. He offered us the opportunity to also tour the Beresheim house but we declined. There's a little gift store there and I purchased an adorable little bottle with a train inside. Tom walked us next door and gave us the audio sets so we could tour on our own. Such a gorgeous house still. The architecture is second empire which is French we were told. I loved that the daily items one would use was displayed and the vignettes showed us how life was. The clothes in the closet were lovely. Going out gowns and nightwear. Shoes and boots. The baby pram and baby bed. Toys that the children played with. Delicate china and household gadgets. In the basement we saw momentos. The General's desk was relocated into the house and there's a carriage house where old carriages are stored. The house is air conditioned which helped keep it less humid but it still gets warm as you tour. There's a little garden outside with zucchini, tomatoes and flowers. We saw butterflies flying around it and it was lovely. A good tour and not an expensive one. Will probably return so we can tour the Beresheim house also next time.

Beautiful piece of history right in the heart of Council Bluffs. The expert restoration and maintenance will help you to feel you've been transported back to the days of General Dodge. If you love old homes, area history, presidential history, and beautiful antiques this is a must see. I recommend visiting at Christmas time to see the extravagant decorations. Family friendly and the staff is always wonderful.

Two words: audio tour. The Dodge House is right up the street from us and with my family in town it was the perfect opportunity to spend the afternoon touring this incredible home. Well worth the $7 admission if you watch the video at the start -- it does a great job of setting up the context of ol' Grenville's life and perfectly transitions into the audio tour when you get to the house. Very informative and even fun. It's incredible to see the details of how the wealthy lived in the late 19th Century.

What a wonderful treat learning about Maj Gen. Grenville Mellen Dodge (April 12, 1831 - January 3, 1916) and his contribution to this country.....both in the civil war and the railroad system. In the Civil War he help build bridges and railroads which enabled the supply chains to the armies. The fact that the North were able to keep their solders fed and supplied at the front line was a definate turning point.The house compared to Hearst Castle or the Newport Mansions is modest but much richer with history Five US presidents ate at their dinner table. Didge lobbied Lincoln at that house and eventually persuaded Lincoln to make the railroad go through Council Bluffs, Dodge's home town.What made this house a 5 star event was that the tour guides were truely amazing. My guide had so much history to tell that i was there for nearly 2 hours. She told the stories with much detail from the family members recollection. If you are in Omaha, it is worth the 15 min drive to visit and learn about this place.

Extraordinary example of the history of the metro area! This house is gorgeous! The restoration job is done perfectly! Definitely worth the admission price. If you have any interest in American history at all you'll lose a couple hours here.Starting off at the neighboring Beresheim house this museum is actually two houses with both homes having their own interesting styles. The Beresheim house has a small gift shop and houses the offices of the organization so it is a little simpler of the two homes. Period items are neatly displayed in cases and set up in rooms throughout the upper floor. Working restrooms in the houses is very interesting as well. When I walked into the neighboring General Dodge house I couldn't believe my eyes. Truly incredible home! Unbelievable how the upperclass lived 150 years ago. Full of period furniture and artifacts galore. Even the basement blew my mind. I can't wait to go back! I could go on and on, but I recommend checking it out if you have an open afternoon and looking for something to do.

I went on railroad days to the general dodge house, so it was overcrowded but I got in for cheap. The house is just beautiful. I especially loved seeing the ballroom on the top floor!

REALY enjoyed tour. Like hearing about people of that place in time.All done great tour !

Wonderful at Christmas time, they set up a tree in every room. Also really enjoy their set up for Railroad days. They have the usual interior, but outdoors they have re in-actors in uniforms and homemade ice cream and lemonade!