From the Jan 2017 Stereoscope
The Tederman House Also known as The Kinner House
By Patti Simpson
Located in Holdrege, Nebraska on 515 Tibbals Street, sits an interesting two story home with tall white pillars. The house has always been an interest to me, so I thought I’d do a little asking around. Many refer to this home as the “Tederman House”, as Stanley and Mary Tederman and their children, Nancy, James and Kathleen lived there for a time. Others refer to it as the “Kinner House.” One rumor was that the front pillars came from the Nebraska State Capitol or rather the Governor’s Mansion, as they look just like the pillars on the latter. Back in the mid-1980s when my husband, Doug and I were looking for a new home, this house was one we looked at too. I remember the grand staircase, the tall ceilings, original kitchen, and the steep basement staircase. All these bits and pieces peaked my interest, so I wanted to find out more – and it didn’t take long to find it either!I first wrote Nancy (Tederman) Osborne, one of the former residents of the home. She asked her siblings about it. They remembered being told that the people who built the house were from the south and the owner wanted to please his wife with the southern “plantation” look of the house. I also found out that the Clay and Vida Westcott family lived there before the Tederman family. In the Don O. Lindgren Genealogy Library, I did a quick search and found a photo of the house in their digital archives. In the description of the photo, it noted that the home was listed on the National Historic Register. A quick internet search and I soon found the original 2004 National Register of Historic Places application that was submitted. The owners at that time were Joseph and Debra Kolnick. The form lists the name of the property as the “Kinner House” and describes it as “a two story Neoclassical Revival frame house clad with wooden clapboards. Facing east, or toward the city center, the main façade is dominated by a full height porch supported by four classical columns. These fluted ionic columns support a closed pediment featuring a fan light. The cornice has a moderate overhang with a wide frieze band and dentils. Wooden pilasters were utilized at each corner of the house. Symmetrically placed double hung one over one windows and a centered front door complete the front façade. The front door features leaded glass sidelights and a simple entablature which mimics the entablature of the pediment. The secondary facades are more modest. The north and south facades feature gables with wide returning eave. Fan lights are centered in the gable end and dentils continue at the base of the cornice.” Inside in home, the application describes it in detail. “A grand staircase is positioned immediately opposite the front entry and dominates the front entry. A formal dining room and a formal sitting room flank either side of the staircase. The kitchen and the pantry are located to the rear of the house. Wooden floors gleam throughout the first floor and the second floor hall. Woodwork, including baseboards and crown molding are intact throughout the house. Bedrooms are located on the second floor, positioned south of the central staircase. Utility rooms and a restroom are opposite the bedrooms.” The Kinner House is architecturally significant. It was built in 1903 and the application boasts that it “retains excellent physical integrity. Exterior changes are limited to a rear entry that was reconfigured when a garage was added along the north side some time ago.” Much history can be gleaned from this application. “The family who constructed this property migrated to Nebraska from Connecticut in the middle 1880s and played a role in the history of Holdrege for the next five decades. The Tibbals family, including a daughter married to Francis M. Kinner, arrived in Holdrege in 1885 and built their Neoclassical Revival house sometime around the turn of the century. The ionic columns, decorative door surround and the symmetrical façade are elements that harken back to this building form’s classical roots, giving rise to the term ‘Neoclassical Revival’.”Besides being described as above, the house qualified for the National Historic recognition because its design elements were still in-tact. The form states that “there are only 20 residences classified as Neoclassical Revival across the state. Most of these homes are located in the eastern portion of the state, however, four additional houses of this style are recorded in the central region of the state. No other Neoclassical Revival style homes are recorded in Phelps County. The Kinner House exemplifies a style that, while fashionable throughout the country at the time of its construction (ae 1903), was then and remains rare in Phelps County.” Now, in more recent years, the Kinner House is showing its age. This beautiful 114 year old home would more than likely take a lot of time and money to bring it back to its glory. I hope that someone who loves older homes recognizes its potential, as it would be a shame for Phelps County to lose such a unique home.-end
Nebraska Prairie Museum 