The Dream
"Strange how all things come by thought or dream, and that whatever a man can think or dream, he can also do." - Carl Weeks
Carl Weeks wrote these words to his construction manager Paul Van Slyke in 1924, "...You understand me, for every dollar that house costs in excess of $150,000, tall and complete explanations will have to be made to account for the individual cent. If that house, garage, and cottage go one iota beyond $150,000, I intend to place the blame for every dollar's worth of additional expense squarely upon your shoulders and those of Boyd and Moore."
"That house" refers to Salisbury House, his grand Tudor-style manor then under construction on a heavily wooded lot on Des Moines' west side. Once into the project, Weeks' tireless imagination and enthusiasm for the endeavor took over. By the time the project was completed in 1928, $3 million had been spent for the remarkable structure and its contents.
The house represented a dream come to life for Carl Weeks who, with his wife Edith, had been traveling in Salisbury, England a few years before. There in the Cathedral close, they discovered a wonderful old building known as King's House. Charmed by it, they decided it would be the model for their home in Des Moines. Upon their return, Carl and Edith hired local architect Ben Boyd, of Boyd and Moore and began the long and loving process of re-creating a home with all of the most prominent features of King's House.
Their design incorporated the three distinct historical periods represented in the original: a flint and stone portion dating from Tudor times (1484-1603); an older Gothic porch dating from the reign of King John (1167-1216); and the most recent brick addition originating in the time of Charles I (1625-1649).
The finished home featured four stories and 42 rooms totaling 22,500 square feet.
Salisbury House, too, was to reflect Weeks' philosophy of doing a big thing in a large way. As the enormity of the project began to unfold, Weeks engaged a consultant from New York, architect William Whitney Rasmussen of Rasmussen & Wayland. Rasmussen held out on accepting the commission until Weeks would agree to include a "great hall" in the scheme. Weeks at first balked at the idea because of the great expense. However, at the suggestion of Rasmussen, he eventually let the Armand Company underwrite the home's cost.
After that crucial financial decision was made, Weeks was prepared to spend almost anything for accuracy, including a considerable amount of his own time. Not being one to delegate his destiny, he refused to hire a general contractor. Virtually every construction detail received his intense and personal attention.
He personally hired trained craftsmen for a competitive wage. Many of them remained on the job for the full five years that it took to complete the house.
Salisbury House -- A Dream Realized
