46-632: The American Gothic House , also known as the Dibble House , is a house in Eldon, Iowa , designed in the Carpenter Gothic style with a distinctive upper window. It was the backdrop of the 1930 painting American Gothic by Grant Wood , generally considered Wood's most famous work and among the most recognized paintings in twentieth century American art . Wood, who observed the house only twice in his lifetime, made only an initial sketch of
92-529: A sic' , emerged in 1889, E. Belfort Bax 's work in The Ethics of Socialism being an early example. On occasion, sic has been misidentified as an acronym (and therefore sometimes misspelled with periods): s.i.c. is said to stand for "spelled/said in copy/context", "spelling is correct", "spelled incorrectly", and other such folk etymology phrases. These are all incorrect and are simply backronyms from sic . Use of sic greatly increased in
138-627: A median income of $ 29,261 versus $ 20,573 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 14,495. About 11.4% of families and 15.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 21.0% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over. In addition to the American Gothic House , the following properties are listed on the National Register of Historic Places : Sic We are prepared, under appropriate circumstances, to provide information bearing on
184-484: A new museum and education center could provide a major boost to local tourism—one state senator hoped for as many as 100,000 visitors per year. After the house's owner eventually turned over the property to the State Historical Society of Iowa in 1991, an effort was made to move the house to Living History Farms outside Des Moines , but Eldonians fought to keep it within their city limits. The house
230-441: A parenthetical sentence only when used after a complete sentence, like so: ( Sic. ) Some guides, including The Chicago Manual of Style , recommend "quiet copy-editing " (unless where inappropriate or uncertain) instead of inserting a bracketed sic , such as by substituting in brackets the correct word in place of the incorrect word or by simply replacing an incorrect spelling with the correct one. Alternatively, to show both
276-466: A simple shingled roof , a central chimney , white color, and a moderate size as well. Exterior features of the house include its two Gothic windows in the gable and its steep-pitched roof. Both features would later be exaggerated by Grant Wood in American Gothic . The lower floor of the house contains three rooms and a bathroom, while the upper floor has two bedrooms. The house has been called
322-825: Is a regional tourist destination with visitors coming to visit the American Gothic House , the Historic Rock Island Railway depot, and the Historic McHaffey Opera House . Eldon got its start in the year 1870, following construction of the Keokuk and Des Moines Railway through the territory. It was incorporated in 1872. Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold , who was born in nearby Ottumwa , operated Roseanne and Tom's Big Food Diner in Eldon from 1993 to 1995. Eldon
368-588: Is also the home of the Wapello County Fair which began in 1868. Eldon is located in the southeast corner of Wapello County eleven miles southeast of Ottumwa on the northeast bank of the Des Moines River across the river from the Soap creek confluence. Iowa Highway 16 passes through the community. The Eldon Water Management Area is across the river in adjacent Davis County two miles to
414-582: Is consolidated with the towns of Agency , Batavia , and the unincorporated communities of Selma and Bladensburg within the Cardinal Community School District. Cardinal Schools mascot is the "Comet". The Cardinal athletic teams participate in the South Central Conference . As of the census of 2020, there were 783 people, 361 households, and 210 families residing in the city. The population density
460-403: Is most often inserted into quoted or reprinted material to indicate meticulous accuracy in reproducing the preceding text, despite appearances to the reader of an incorrect or unusual orthography ( spelling , punctuation , grammar, syntax, fact, logic, etc.). Several usage guides recommend that a bracketed sic be used primarily as an aid to the reader, not as an indicator of disagreement with
506-415: Is the vacant piece of ground across the road. This offers you a place for parking autos and a picnic area, which is a good adjunct to a historic site. Bill Wagner, letter to Robert Weidenbach, February 2, 1960. In the early 1970s, a series of letters between Eldon businessmen and Carl E. Smith—who has recently inherited the house—revealed differing opinions on its continued use: Smith wanted to renovate
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#1732772560810552-426: Is to inform the reader that any errors in a quotation did not arise from editorial errors in the transcription, but are intentionally reproduced as they appear in the source text being quoted; thus, sic is placed inside brackets to indicate it is not part of the quotation. Sic can also be used derisively to direct the reader's attention to the writer's spelling mistakes and erroneous logic, or to show disapproval of
598-486: The "cardboardy [ sic ] frame houses on Iowa farms" and considered it "very paintable." After obtaining the permission of the Jones family, Wood made a sketch the next day in oil on paperboard from the house's front yard. This sketch displayed a steeper roof and a longer window with a more pronounced ogive than the actual house, features which eventually adorned the final work; however, Wood did not add figures to
644-444: The age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.0% were non-families. 32.3% of households were made up of individuals, and 15% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.28, and the average family size was 2.84. The median age was 42.3 years old. 24.1% of residents were under
690-474: The age of 18; 7.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.8% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 19.4% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.7% male and 51.3% female. At the 2000 census 998 people, 438 households, and 275 families were residing in the city. The population density was 884.3 inhabitants per square mile (341.4/km ). The 470 housing units had an average density of 416.5 per square mile (160.8/km ). The racial makeup of
736-621: The best-known example of a Carpenter Gothic cottage in the United States. There is no conclusive evidence explaining why the Dibbles chose to place Gothic windows on the upper level. The windows are believed to have been purchased through the Sears catalog . There are two commonly accepted theories: the Dibbles may have wanted the windows to beautify their home at a time when rural life in Iowa
782-444: The city was 98.20% White, 0.40% from other races, and 1.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.50%. Of the 438 households 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 31.7% of households were one person and 18.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size
828-404: The city. The population density was 835.1 inhabitants per square mile (322.4/km ). The 448 housing units had an average density of 403.6 per square mile (155.8/km ). The racial makup of the city was 98.4% White, 0.1% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1%. Of 406 households, 31.8% had children under
874-680: The content or form of the material. In the English language, the Latin adverb sic is used as an adverb, and derivatively as a noun and as a verb. The adverb sic , meaning 'intentionally so written', first appeared in English c. 1856 . It is derived from the Latin adverb sīc , which means 'so', 'thus', 'in this manner'. According to the Oxford English Dictionary , the verbal form of sic , meaning 'to mark with
920-618: The credibly [ sic ] and veracity of any such source. Irin Carmon quoting a law firm The Latin adverb sic ( / s ɪ k / ; thus , so , and in this manner ) inserted after a quotation indicates that the quoted matter has been transcribed or translated as found in the source text, including erroneous, archaic, or unusual spelling, punctuation , and grammar . Sic also applies to any surprising assertion, faulty reasoning, or other matter that might be interpreted as an error of transcription . The typical editorial usage of Sic
966-478: The first floor of the home. Eldon, Iowa Eldon is a city in Wapello County , Iowa , United States. The population was 783 at the time of the 2020 census . It is the site of the small Carpenter Gothic style house that has come to be known as the American Gothic House . Artist Grant Wood used this home for the background in his world-famous 1930 painting American Gothic . Eldon today
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#17327725608101012-499: The following example from Fred Rodell 's 1955 book Nine Men : [I]n 1951, it was the blessing bestowed on Judge Harold Medina 's prosecution [ sic ] of the eleven so-called 'top native Communists,' which blessing meant giving the Smith Act the judicial nod of constitutionality. Where sic follows the quotation, it takes brackets : [ sic ]. The word sic is often treated as a loanword that does not require italics, and
1058-403: The house and protect it from vandalism only; the Eldon leaders were more in favor of making the house an historic site. The house was abandoned for much of the 1970s—a bullet was fired in an upstairs bedroom; weather and vandalism took their toll as well. Only in the late 1980s did the owner of the property consider turning the house over to the state. Indeed, many southern Iowans were conflicted on
1104-556: The house in 1881 for themselves and their eight children. Its relatively simple board-and-batten siding , white color, and moderate size—just 504 square feet (46.8 m)—were quite common in nineteenth century Iowa architecture. A similar style can be observed in the birthplace of President Herbert Hoover in West Branch , built a decade before the American Gothic House, which features board-and-batten siding,
1150-400: The house until 1933 (and notably added a kitchen which created the west wing of the house); thus, it was the Jones family who allowed Grant Wood to use their home as a backdrop for American Gothic . During the summer of 1930, Edward Rowan, a young gallery director from Cedar Rapids , a large city approximately 80 miles (130 km) to the northeast of Eldon, attempted to promote fine arts in
1196-416: The house was started as early as 1945 by Nan Wood , Grant Wood's sister and the female figure depicted in American Gothic . A visit in 1960 to the house (which was beginning to fall into disrepair) by Des Moines architect and historian William J. Wagner, A.I.A. capped these early efforts. He was among the first to suggest preservation of the house as a historic site: The visit to your American Gothic House
1242-469: The house—he completed American Gothic at his studio in Cedar Rapids . First owned by Eldon resident Charles Dibble after its construction in 1881 and 1882, the home was (with one 1897 exception) a private residence until the late twentieth century. After a thirty-year preservation effort culminated with the donation of the house in 1991 to the State Historical Society of Iowa , the site now includes
1288-452: The issue—the owner wanted to keep the house only because he believed the current renters would have nowhere else to go if they were forced to leave. After the home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 (the result of an application by an Eldon farmer), the owner refurbished the house, installing an indoor bathroom and electricity and restoring the windows and wallpaper. Local politicians believed such work coupled with
1334-639: The mid-20th century. For example, in United States state-court opinions before 1944, sic appeared 1,239 times in the Westlaw database; in those from 1945 to 1990, it appeared 69,168 times, over 55 times as many. Its use as a form of ridicule has been cited as a major factor in this increase. The immoderate use of sic has created some controversy, leading some editors, including bibliographical scholar Simon Nowell-Smith and literary critic Leon Edel , to speak out against it. The bracketed form [ sic ]
1380-552: The original and the suggested correction (as they often are in palaeography ), one may give the actual form, followed by recte , then the correct form, in brackets. The Latin adverb recte means rightly . An Iraqi battalion has consumed [ recte assumed] control of the former American military base, and our forces are now about 40 minutes outside the city. According to the Journal of Seventeenth-Century Music Style Sheet , there should be no punctuation, for example no colon, before
1426-517: The original house in its 1930 form and a visitors center. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Since 1991, various caretaker-occupants have continued to rent the home privately. Charles A. Dibble (born 1836 in Saratoga County, New York ), by various accounts a railroad man, livery stable owner, and Civil War veteran, lived in Eldon in the late nineteenth century. He and his wife, Catharine, began building
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1472-448: The population. Of the 361 households, 26.3% of which had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 7.2% were cohabitating couples, 30.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and 21.6% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present. 41.8% of all households were non-families. 37.4% of all households were made up of individuals, 19.4% had someone living alone who
1518-527: The rural town by opening a gallery and library and leading art classes in Eldon. Rowan's attempts were met with success—the Eldon Forum called the exhibitions "an unusual treat." This, along with an indebtedness Wood felt toward Rowan, drew the painter (himself a native of Anamosa , Iowa ) to come to Eldon. In August, Wood was driven around the town by a young painter from Eldon, John Sharp, looking for inspiration. Sharp's brother suggested in 1973 that it
1564-505: The sketch until he returned to Cedar Rapids. Although Wood never returned to Eldon, he did request a photograph of the home to complete his painting. Decades after American Gothic was regarded as an American icon, the house continued to serve as a private residence, usually for rent, transferring ownership only once more from the Jones family to the Seldon Smith family at a " distress sale " in 1942. A grassroots movement to preserve
1610-420: The source. Sic may show that an uncommon or archaic expression is reported faithfully, such as when quoting the U.S. Constitution : "The House of Representatives shall chuse [ sic ] their Speaker ..." However, several writing guidebooks discourage its use with regard to dialect, such as in cases of American and British English spelling differences . The appearance of a bracketed sic after
1656-576: The southwest along Soap Creek. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 1.12 square miles (2.90 km ), of which 1.11 square miles (2.87 km ) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km ; 2.59 ha) is water. Eldon is served by the Cardinal Community School District which has its campus 2.5 miles north of the town in rural Wapello County . Eldon
1702-487: The style manuals of New Zealand, Australian and British media outlets generally do not require italicisation. However, italicization is common in the United States, where authorities including APA Style insist upon it. Because sic is not an abbreviation, placing a full stop /period inside the brackets after the word sic is erroneous, although the California Style Manual suggests styling it as
1748-426: The visitors center provides many sizes of similar aprons and jackets worn by the original painting's models. The adjacent American Gothic House Center, completed in 2007, contains exhibits about the painting, artist Grant Wood, and the community around the house. Each June, the city of Eldon holds its Gothic Days festival, a celebration of the painting and rural life in Eldon in the 1930s. Starting in 2015, tours began of
1794-440: The word analyse in a book review led Bryan A. Garner to comment, "all the quoter (or overzealous editor) [sic] demonstrated was ignorance of British usage". Occasionally a writer places [ sic ] after their own words, to indicate that the language has been chosen deliberately for special effect, especially where the writer's ironic meaning may otherwise be unclear. Bryan A. Garner dubbed this use of sic "ironic", providing
1840-418: Was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.91. The age distribution was 25.3% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.3 males. The median household income was $ 26,950 and the median family income was $ 37,250. Males had
1886-404: Was 65 years old or older. The median age in the city was 45.3 years. 24.3% of the residents were under the age of 20; 4.0% were between the ages of 20 and 24; 21.3% were from 25 and 44; 27.8% were from 45 and 64; and 22.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female. At the 2010 census 927 people, 406 households, and 260 families were residing in
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1932-401: Was 715.8 inhabitants per square mile (276.4/km ). There were 404 housing units at an average density of 369.3 per square mile (142.6/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 94.4% White , 0.0% Black or African American , 0.1% Native American , 0.0% Asian , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 0.4% from other races and 5.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino persons of any race comprised 3.1% of
1978-580: Was a struggle, or they could have been following a trend in which extravagant details were desirable in residences in the late nineteenth century, and the Dibbles chose windows whose costs would have been relatively reasonable at the time. The Dibbles' house was foreclosed around 1897 after they were unable to pay their taxes, and they are recorded as living in Portland, Oregon , in the 1900 Census. The house changed hands several times until 1917, when Gideon and Mary Hart Jones purchased it. The Jones family owned
2024-400: Was on this drive that Wood first sketched the house on the back of an envelope. Wood did not immediately regard the house as beautiful, but he did find it captivating. His earliest biographer, Darrell Garwood, noted that Wood "thought it a form of borrowed pretentiousness, a structural absurdity, to put a Gothic-style window in such a flimsy frame house." At the time, Wood classified it as one of
2070-549: Was renovated in 1992, with boosters hoping to see the house become a pop-culture tourism attraction, much like the Field of Dreams site in similarly rural Dyersville . Today the American Gothic House Center hosts approximately 15,000 visitors per year, which does not account for additional after-hours visitors. Visitors are encouraged to view the house from the outside and have their photo taken—in fact,
2116-413: Was very interesting and enjoyable. I will probably seem a little too enthusiastic, but I do feel you have a 'First' in Eldon. It was the painting 'American Gothic' that made Grant Wood internationally known. Phil Strong wrote that Grant Wood was the first Iowa painter to bring fame to Iowa. I feel it would be a mistake to move the home to another location. The greatest advantage for leaving the house as is,
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