The Joseph W. Bettendorf Mansion was built for Joseph and Elizabeth (Ohl) Bettendorf. Joseph, head of the Bettendorf Company, built his English manor-style home on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in 1915. Joseph hired noted architect Arthur H. Ebeling to design and build his dream home but maintained a close eye on all aspects of design and construction. The home was not only for his family but also for entertaining railroad magnates.
The 28-room Mansion has three floors and a full basement for a total of 21,000 square feet of finished space. The Mansion featured a domed stained glass conservatory (still intact), a billiards room, a ballroom on the third floor, and a bowling alley in the basement.