History;
The popular local architect George William Frank, Jr. designed the Frank House in 1886 as a gift for his parents. George Frank, Sr. and his wife, Phoebe, lived in the home until 1900 after George lost his financial standings in The Panic of 1893, a nationwide financial epidemic. It was the first house west of the Missouri River to be wired for electricity during its initial construction (1886-1889) and featured steam radiators and indoor plumbing. After exchanging ownership numerous times, the house was purchased in 1907 by Ole and Georgiana Grothan, a husband and wife medical team who converted the house into the Grothan Elmwood Sanitarium. Ole was a Nebraska State Senator who represented this district in the early 20th century. In 1911, after Ole and Georgiana finalized their divorce, the Frank House was sold to the state of Nebraska and became part of the Nebraska State Tuberculosis Hospital where it was used as living quarters for the hospital’s staff until 1971. At that same time, the hospital grounds were acquired by the Kearney State Teacher's College, now the University of Nebraska at Kearney. In 1973, the home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and now stands as an integral part of the university and a testament to Kearney's rich history.
