Contact: 
National Register of Historic Places, Beth Foster 515-281-4137
Community History Awards, Kathy Gourley 515-281-6913
Historical Society Public Relations, Sarah Oltrogge 515-281-4011

DES MOINES, Iowa - A sesquicentennial book celebrating the history of West Branch has won the top local history award presented by the State Historical Society of Iowa.

In an award ceremony today, Project Editor Dwight Jensen accepted the Loren Horton Community History Award.

The book, West Branch: The First 150 Years, is a professional quality 320-page book containing about 270 photographs and 500 maps, charts, drawings and other illustrations detailing the town's history.

"This book is a beautiful example of a community embracing its history and wanting to document it for future generations," said Kathy Gourley, the Society's field historian. "The West Branch community should be proud to have something like this available to them. Congratulations to them for their efforts."

Several other sets of awards were also presented at the ceremony hosted by Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson at the State Historical Building in Des Moines.

Among them was the Society's Petersen/Harlan Award for lifetime achievement in Iowa history. The 2002 award went to the publishers of The Cedar County Historical Review for its continuing contribution to Iowa history. The publication was started in 1958 and offers a glimpse into the lives of Cedar County residents during times of local, state, national and world events over the years.

"This wonderful group of dedicated volunteers has opened a window on the past that is still opening," said Marlene Nelson, Iowa District Court Supervising Clerk for Cedar County. "I applaud their efforts to develop and make accessible this historical library of information."

Also honored were owners of 40 properties that have earned a listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

"A property's placement on the National Register of Historic Places is a mark of distinction," said Lowell Soike, community programs bureau chief for the Historical Society. "Owners and preservationists do a lot of work documenting their properties. This designation opens the door for these properties to become tourist attractions or be eligible for preservation grants."

The ceremony concluded with the nonprofit Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance presenting its Preservation at its Best Awards in numerous categories, and the presentation of Kids Count! awards for Outstanding Service to Youth Researchers for National History Day in Iowa. This year's Kids Count! Award goes to Buena Vista University Library in Storm Lake, with certificates of recognition presented to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library in West Branch and the libraries of the State Historical Society of Iowa in Des Moines and Iowa City.

National Register of Historic Places Recognition in May 2002

Bennington #4, intersection of Bennington and Sage roads, near Waterloo. The Bennington #4 school was opened in 1911 and served a four-section district comprised mainly of German-Americans. It is also somewhat atypical of country schools in that it has a bell tower. Located on the prairie and on a rise, the outline of the building was recognizable as a school from any distance or angle. Steve Sage, 319-233-5340.

Nishnabotna Ferry House, West Minnesota St., Lewis. This house survives as a rare example of a ferry keeper's house. It was the home of Samuel Harlow Tefft who operated the ferry at this crossing of this main transportation route that crossed the East Nishnabotna River. It is likely the only known ferry keeper's home in existence on the Mormon Handcart Trail. Lewis Betterment Committee, Betty Sanny, 712-769-2337.

St. John Baptist Church, 715 6^th St. SW, Mason City. St. John Baptist Church is regarded for its strong association with the African-American community. Built in 1937 by African-American residents, its membership was extended to a growing group of Eastern European immigrants who came to Mason City for employment opportunities. Calvin George Duncan, 402-438-0818.

Logan Center School #5, intersection of 420^th St. and 310^th Ave., Dickens. Built in 1895, Logan Center School #5 remains as one of the schools built to house accessible public education in the era before automobiles. The one-acre tract of land, which includes the school, was purchased from F.M. Barnard in 1894 for $20. Helen Swanson, 712-835-2842.

Lakeside Ballroom, 1202 N. 4^th St., Guttenberg. Built in 1927, Lakeside Ballroom provides a local illustration of certain social and technological changes associated with evolving entertainment patterns from 1927-1950: Prohibition, radio communications, the Great Depression, World War II, the widespread adoption of the automobile and road improvements in the rural Midwest. John Hess, 563-252-1355.

American House, 116 Main St., McGregor. The American House exemplifies a hotel type derived from European models that probably entered the Mississippi Valley via New Orleans. It exhibits the aspirations of its owner to create a civilized place on the frontier. It also serves as a symbol or icon of early American small-town life. W.E. and Patricia Eckhardt, 319-338-3386.

Grand Mound Town Hall and Waterworks Historic District, 613-615 Clinton St., Grand Mound. The Grand Mound Town Hall and Waterworks District is significant for its importance to the social history and politics and government of the city of Grand Mound. City of Grand Mound, 319-847-2190.

Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank, 601 Smith St., Grand Mound. This bank opened in 1923 as part of a thriving business district and demonstrates a mixture of architectural styles and influences in America in the early 20^th century. First Trust and Savings Bank, 563-374-1247.

Dugan's Saloon, 516 Smith St., Grand Mound. Dugan's Saloon is a relatively rare survivor from the time when state prohibition created uncertainty in the business. It also stands as a reminder of Grand Mound's late 19^th and early 20^th century commercial development. American Mutual Insurance Association, 319-847-2000.

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Station, 300 S. Main St., Burlington. Also known as the Burlington Depot, this station received wide recognition nationally as a prototype for post-World War II railroad station design. It is historically significant to Burlington as a symbol of railroading, as the railroad was greatly responsible for the development of the town. City of Burlington, 319-753-8120.

The Town Clock Building, 823-825 Main Street, Dubuque. Built as one of the first "skyscrapers" in what was a low-profile downtown dominated only by church steeples and the surrounding bluff lines, this building was specifically designed to bear its clock tower prominently so that all persons, whether on river or ashore, could know the time. The Town Clock Building Company, 823-825 Main St., Dubuque, IA 52004-0028.

Four Mounds Estate Historic District, 4900 Peru Road, Dubuque. This property is significant as an early 20^th century example of a "Gentleman's Farm," or a farming complex where one could commune with nature. It was the well-known country estate of the Burden family, all of whom were prominent and influential in the development of Dubuque banking and real estate interests in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries and in the public and social interests of the Dubuque community as a whole. Sondra Bennett, 563-557-7292.

Dubuque Young Men's Christian Association Building, 125 W. Ninth St., Dubuque. Constructed in two stages in 1894 and 1916, the Dubuque YMCA Building is a locally prominent landmark and embodies the distinctive characteristics of two periods and styles of construction. The staged construction and subsequent alterations illustrate the evolving role that the YMCA has played in Dubuque. MDI Limited Partnership, No. 47, 1600 University Ave., Suite 212, St. Paul, MN 55104.

Rector, Jason and Elizabeth (Baylor) House, 2174 Bluff Road, Thurman. Jason Rector (1825-1904) was among the earliest European-American settlers in southwest Iowa. This house, built in 1859 at the base of the Loess Hills, is a remarkably intact example of what a pioneer settler could and did produce in the mid-19^th century on the edge of the American frontier. Beverly Collins, 941-642-5277.

Union Cemetery Gardener's Cottage, Union Cemetery, Iowa Falls. When Iowa Falls was originally laid out in 1855, no provision was made for a cemetery. The women of the community took it upon themselves to remedy the problem. This cottage was built in 1918 under a contract issued by a group of women who formed "The Ladies Social Gathering." Sue Crotty, 641-648-4017.

Englert Theatre, 221 E. Washington St., Iowa City. This theatre is a cultural landmark and downtown amusement venue known to generations of Iowa City residents and University of Iowa students. Host to both live performances and first-run movies since its construction in 1912, the importance of the building to the community was acknowledged as early as 1926 when it was nearly destroyed by fire. With the interior quickly reconstructed, the theatre remained open to the public for another 73 years. Englert Civic Theatre, Inc., 319-688-2653.

Ned Ashton Residence, 820 Park Road, Iowa City. The Ashton House is associated with the productive career of a noted bridge engineer. Designed and constructed by Ashton and used as his office and drafting room, it directly embodies his career and his Iowa aesthetics. Marshall and Joye Ashton McKusick, 319-338-6746.

Stone Academy, two miles north of Solon on Highway 1, Solon. The Stone Academy is one of the oldest remaining school buildings in the state. Although there are no precise school records to document when it was built, the year 1842 has traditionally been used. The site was built on the military trail and stagecoach route between Dubuque and Iowa City. Although historically referred to as an academy, there is no record to indicate it was anything other than a public school. Solon Community School District, 319-644-3401.

Antioch School, four miles east of Anamosa on Highway 64, Anamosa. Antioch School exhibits the primary characteristics of country schools: single classroom, evenly spaced classroom windows, rectangular shape and cloakroom and gable roof. It is also where Grant Wood began his education in 1896, remaining there until 1901. Rosalie Arenson, 319-484-2458.

St. Luke's Methodist Church, 211 North Sycamore, Monticello. This church was built and first occupied in 1950, and is significant because it was designed by Cram & Ferguson, Architects, of Boston, one of the nation's leading architectural firms for ecclesiastical design during the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. It is the only structure in Iowa designed by the firm. Monticello Heritage and Cultural Center, 319-465-4052.

John McGreer Barn and Crib, 2056 150^th Ave., Donnellson. The McGreer Barn and Crib have architectural significance as a Pennsylvania-type barn and the banked/basement crib as notable and remarkable outbuilding types in late 19^th century rural Iowa and for their representation of the large and prosperous livestock operation of John McGreer. The barn was erected in 1884. Frank G. Conrad, 319-836-2108.

Redmond Park-Grande Avenue Historic District, Redmond Park and neighboring streets to east and northeast, Cedar Rapids. The Redmond Park-Grande Avenue Historic District is a representative collection of the residential architecture styles and typical house forms that appeared in Cedar Rapids neighborhoods from the 1890s through the 1930s. Marlys Svendsen, 715-469-3300.

Commercial Hotel, 227 N. Main Street, Wapello. The Commercial Hotel is an important element of the business community of the town of Wapello. Construction on the hotel began in 1906 after fire destroyed the only existing hotel in the town. The Commercial Hotel, with its typical small-town hotel features such as a porch, was designed by local Wapello architect and contractor H.O. Pease. Patrick and Gladys Murphy, 319-523-2341.

First United Methodist Church, 923 Roland, Chariton. Well-known architect Samuel A. Bullard designed this church, built in 1900. It stands today as an unaltered example of turn-of-the-century Gothic Revival design. First United Methodist Church Trustees, 641-774-5023.

Dirk and Cornelia J. Vander Wilt Cottage, 925 Broadway St., Pella. Completed and first occupied circa 1854, this cottage is representative of the first generation of residential structures constructed in Pella and calls attention to the architectural influence of Holland, the homeland of Pella's settlers. Only a handful of these early brick cottages remain in the community. Wayne D. Stienstra, 175 Delft Drive, Pella, IA 50219.

Marshalltown Downtown Historic District, 200 block east Main to 100 block west Main, side streets, Marshalltown. This historic district is a representative collection of the commercial architectural styles and vernacular building forms that appeared in Marshalltown from the 1860s through the 1940s. Marlys Svendsen, 715-469-3300.

Nathaniel Cobb and Lucretia (Bailey) Deering House, 903 State St., Osage. Nathaniel Cobb Deering is the only person from Mitchell County to ever be elected to the U.S. Congress, and in 1882, he was chosen by the U.S. House of Representatives to be a Regent of the Smithsonian Institute-an honor never before conferred upon an Iowa member of either house of Congress. Nathaniel and Lucretia were also very active members of the Osage community. John and Velda La Coste, 641-732-1041.

Mann School #2, near Moorhead. The Mann School is a reminder of early educational practice and community involvement and as an intact example of country school design with its rectangular form, simple exterior, window alignment and single classroom. The exterior of the building remains today as it was when it was closed in 1945 with the exception of some damage on the southeast corner and on the roof. Helen Hanson, 712-886-5323.

Greenwood Cemetery Chapel, 1814 Lucas, Muscatine. The Greenwood Cemetery Chapel is the oldest and longest-serving public facility still available for group services at a cemetery in Muscatine. The Chapel provides a historical picture of past mortuary/funeral practices and local architectural development. City of Muscatine, 319-264-1550.

The Grotto of the Redemption, 300 North Broadway, West Bend. The Grotto of the Redemption is the finest and grandest example of a phenomenon known as regional grottos, in which an ancient architectural form was transplanted to the Midwestern prairie landscape. It is one of the world's largest, man-made grottos and the most extensive mosaic ever created. The Diocese of Sioux City, 712-255-7933.

Reeves Farmstead Historic District, 15991 Highway 60, Le Mars. This agricultural complex visually depicts a small family-owned farming enterprise of its time. The farmstead is a well-preserved example of the simple architecture of necessity, employed by scores of settlers who moved to Plymouth County during the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Larry and Sarah Voas, 228-388-1429.

Le Mars Municipal Park and Golf Course Historic District, NE corner of Le Mars, 4^th Ave., NE or Highway 3, Le Mars. As one of Iowa's most extensive municipal park development projects undertaken during the 1930s, this park includes several outstanding stone buildings and structures and represents an interesting adaptation of Park Rustic design aesthetics to achieve a nature-like quality in what is almost entirely a human-made setting. City of Le Mars, 712-546-7018.

Henshie-Briggs Row House, 1016 High St., Des Moines. Completed and first occupied around 1883, the Henshie-Briggs Row House is one of a few exceedingly rare examples of this architectural form to survive in the city today. Its architectural design is influenced by Italianate styling. Wetherell Ericsson Leusink Architects, 515-283-2315.

Syndicate Block, 501 E. Locust, Des Moines. This Renaissance Revival building remains an excellent example of its style as applied to a commercial building, and it serves as a prominent reminder of the 1880s period of physical development of the east side of Des Moines. Bernard Van Til, 515-237-0567.

Crane Building, 1440 Walnut, Des Moines. This building is an example of a commercial/manufacturing structure of grand proportions. While it is a utilitarian building, it still exhibits a thoughtful design based on Chicago influences and the refined design style of the Des Moines architectural firm Sawyer and Watrous. The Crane Company was a plumbing and heating supplier and manufacturer. Kirk Blunck, 515-277-3316.

Bennett Building, 405 West Broadway, Council Bluffs. Completed in 1924, the Bennett Building is perhaps most significant for housing the offices of three women physicians at a time when few women were able to become physicians, much less have their own practices. The building is also an important example of the Commercial style of architecture and the design skills of several local architects and contractors. 405 West Broadway LLC, 1023 Leavenworth St., Omaha, NE 68102.

Prof. J.L. and Sarah M. Budd and Etta Budd House, 804 Kellogg Ave., Ames. The Budd House was the home of J.L. Budd, a botanist of national prominence, whose contributions to horticulture included the introduction to the United States of nonindigenous plant material, as well as service to higher and public education. Etta Budd was a local artist who was also associated with George Washington Carver, whose influence led him to study plant science. Youth and Shelter Services, 515-233-2250.

Decorah Woolen Mill, 107 Court St., Decorah. The Decorah Woolen Mill property is significant for its association with early water-powered manufacturing in Decorah, where settlement began in 1849. Decorah Tire Service, 563-382-3687.

Burr Oak Savings Bank, 3608 236^th Ave., Burr Oak. The bank's construction in 1910 was during a boom period for agricultural production and land values in Iowa that saw hundreds of similar small "savings banks" constructed throughout the state. It is the only building to survive along Burr Oak's main street from this boom period. Laura Ingalls Wilder Park and Museum, 563-735-5916.

Alhambra Apartments, 801 8^th St., Sioux City. This building is a beautiful and noteworthy representation of late 19^th and early 20^th century Revival-style architecture with Moorish influences. There is no documentation as to why the building was named "Alhambra" however, the most famous building with the same name is located in Granada, Spain. George Georgesen, 712-264-1550.

Loren Horton Community History Award: Sesquicentennial Book Committee, West Branch Heritage Foundation. West Branch: The First 150 Years was part of a community-wide volunteer effort to plan, arrange and carry out the town sesquicentennial celebration in August 2001. In the fall of 1998, a group of West Branch residents began work on a town history. The final product, published in July 2001, is a professional quality, 320-page book containing about 270 photographs plus 500 maps, charts, drawings and other illustrations. The book itself preserves historic photographs and information that might otherwise have been ignored or lost, and the volunteer work involved in producing it generated new information that has been previously unknown or forgotten. The Chamber of Commerce, the Heritage Foundation, local churches, schools and numerous social and service clubs all participated in the gathering of history and the planning of the celebration. The project stimulated the awareness and interest of all those involved and focused their efforts on a single goal. Dwight E. Jensen, 319-338-8123.

Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Publication: Brooklyn Historical Society, Brooklyn, Iowa: The First 150 Years. With more than 350 photographs, maps and illustrations, Brooklyn, Iowa: The First 150 Years records and preserves the town's heritage and provides a source of community pride in the accomplishments of its past residents. The project was instigated in 1997 by Brooklyn native Carol Carpenter Hanson of Waukee, who approached former newspaper editor Charles Dunham and his employee, Agnes Stone, for help. The result is a 366-page, hard-bound coffee table book, published in August 2001 by the Brooklyn Historical Society. Mary Ann Heishman, 641-522-7436.

Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Youth Project: North Tama Community School's 2001 Eighth Grade Class. During Memorial Day weekend of 2001, a different type of tribute decorated the gravestones of deceased World War II veterans in Traer cemeteries. Red, white and blue placards containing the photographs and brief military histories of these individuals had been placed on stakes driven into the ground next to the graves. The event was made possible through the work of North Tama's eighth grade class, who studied cemetery records and maps to locate the gravesites and placed the placards to remind visitors to the cemeteries that we owe a lasting debt to those who fought to keep our country free. Judy Robb, 319-478-2265.

Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Use of Volunteers: Greene County Lincoln Highway Association. Project involved producing two busts of President Abraham Lincoln which replaced the original busts created in 1924 but destroyed by vandals 40 years ago. The busts were originally placed on markers north of Scranton when the Lincoln Highway was paved in 1924 as the first transcontinental highway in the United States. In July 2001, 125 people, including some from all over the U.S., attended a rededication program unveiling the new busts. The markers are on the National Register of Historic Places. Robert Owens, 515-386-3419.

Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Program: Donna Story and Bonnie Smola, Monona. Beginning in 1999, Donna Story and Bonnie Smola took on the task as volunteers to inventory, properly preserve and catalog the clothing collection at Montauk, home of Iowa's 12^th governor, William Larrabee and his wife, Anna. Their work included researching, documenting and precisely describing hundreds of artifacts in words and photographs. The products of their efforts include documents and photographs filling four notebooks, a professional CD-ROM, exhibits at Clermont Museum and style shows held at Montauk and Terrace Hill. Nadine West, 563-423-7173.

Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Education Project: Camp Algona POW Project. The Prisoner of War Camp (1943-1946) was a powerful influence on the Algona community during World War II. The stories of how prisoners worked on Kossuth County farms are full of human interest and long-term relationships that endured after war's end as a sharing of cultures. This project sought to preserve the existing information concerning the camp; research missing data on camp personnel, prisoners and area residents; secure safe storage for data and artifacts; secure funding for expenses as a nonprofit organization; and design a historical exhibit. Roger Wilson, 515-295-7354.

The Petersen/Harlan Award is presented annually to an individual or group "that has made significant long-term or continuing contributions to Iowa History." The award for 2002 goes to The Cedar County Historical Review for significant long-term contributions to Iowa's history with 45 volumes published since 1958. Most editions of the Review focus on a specific theme or themes of Cedar County history. Rural education, barns, century farms, orchards, immigration, threshing, the Depression and the Lincoln Highway are just a few. The wide variety of articles are useful to teachers, students, professional historians, genealogists, and anyone interested in the local history of Cedar County. "The Cedar County Historical Society's preservation and continuing work on The Cedar County Historical Review is an extremely valuable collection as a treasure of the past and future generations," said Marlene Nelson, Iowa District Court Supervising Clerk for Cedar County. "This nomination fits the essence, heart and parameters of the Petersen/Harlan Award." Kurtis Voparil, 319-644-3186.

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