WOMEN’S HISTORY TOUR

Throughout much of history, women have made significant contributions to their communities. While Mason City is well known for our “Music Man” heritage and architectural masterpieces of men such as Wright and Griffin, there are numerous women of influence behind these and other local success stories. To celebrate these women and their positive impact on our community, this “trip idea” highlights the accomplishments of the women who were instrumental in advancing our community’s growth and development in healthcare, the arts, women’s voting rights, music, architectural design, literary accomplishments, and more!

THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT STOCKMAN HOUSE

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (largely influenced by his mother to become an architect) and constructed in 1908, the Stockman House is most famous for being the first Wright-designed Prairie School-style house in Iowa (and the only one open to the public). However, the woman of the house – Eleanor Stockman – was not only progressive in her taste for architecture and design, but she was also incredibly passionate and influential in the Women’s Suffrage Movement. As one of 24 Iowans honored for their contribution toward women’s suffrage, Eleanor Stockman’s name can be found engraved on a plaque at the headquarters of the National League of Women Voters in Washington, D.C.

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT’S HISTORIC PARK INN HOTEL

The Stockman House isn’t Mason City’s only Wright-designed masterpiece. Visitors from all around the world come to Mason City to see and stay at the world’s only remaining Wright-designed hotel – the Historic Park Inn and City National Bank. It was an invitation from a Mason City woman, Mary Emsley Adams, that first brought Wright to Mason City. Mary and her husband, Thomas Emsley, started City National Bank in 1875. When Thomas died, Mary, a businesswoman, took over his job as Bank President. Around 1906, there was a desire to build a new bank, up-scale hotel, law office, and retail space in Downtown Mason City. Mary’s recommendation to the bank’s board of directors was to hire an up-and-coming architect from Chicago for the project… and so began Wright’s architectural legacy in Mason City.

Of course, the history of how Frank Lloyd Wright came to Mason City is just part of the story. Docent-led tours of the hotel also share the story of how Mason City’s first female mayor helped spearhead efforts to save this historic building and the local women who came together to form the nonprofit foundation, Wright on the Park, and the roles they played in restoring this one-of-a-kind architectural treasure.

In addition to her role as a businesswoman, Mary Emsley Adams was an active suffragette and worked to establish a free public library in Mason City. She died in 1931. The Gale-Emsley mausoleum, located in the Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery, is one of four very distinct and elaborate tombs within the beautiful and historic grounds.

ROCK CREST-ROCK CREST HISTORIC DISTRICT

An architectural hotbed, Mason City is home to the largest collection of Prairie Style designed homes on a unified site in Mason City. A nationally-recognized historic district, Rock Crest-Rock Glen features the works of Barry Byrne, William Drummond, Curtis Besinger, Walter Burley Griffin, and his wife, Marion Mahoney Griffin. One of the world’s first female architects (and the second woman to graduate from MIT), Marion’s skillful architectural design and contributions made her one of the nation’s first women to distinguish herself in the world of architectural renderings and design – a field largely dominated by men.

A long-time associate of Frank Lloyd Wright and an original member of the Prairie School, Marion was a skilled artist, remarkable draftsman and designer, as well as an environmentalist, and community activist. Her drawings of the Unity Temple and many other projects introduced Frank Lloyd Wright’s early work to the world. Her work in the United States developed and expanded the American Prairie School style of architecture and made her a pioneer in architecture and community planning. Mason City’s Rock Crest-Rock Glen District is a fantastic exhibit of her work and legacy.

MEREDITH WILLSON BOYHOOD HOME / THE MUSIC MAN SQUARE

While Meredith Willson is often considered Mason City’s most famous son, his sister Dixie was an accomplished author and screenwriter long before her brother became a well-known musician and composer. Visitors to the Willson Boyhood Home can discover Dixie’s fascinating story including her exciting adventures as a world-traveler, writer, and performer in the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus!

The first nationally recognized member of the Willson family, Dixie was a prolific and successful writer during the 1920’s. She was commissioned to write the biography of Howard Hughes – one of the most financially successful individuals in the world! Her best-known children’s book titled Honey Bear was illustrated by Maginel Wright Barney, sister of Frank Lloyd Wright!

“Count your age by your friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.”

For years, this quote was attributed to John Lennon, but it originated in a poem written by Dixie Willson in a greeting card:

Count your gardens by the flowers,
Never by the leaves that fall.
Count your days by golden hours,
Don’t remember clouds at all.
Count your nights by stars, not shadows.
Count your life by smiles not tears.
And, dear one, on this, your birthday,
Count your age by friends, not years.

Of course, the Willsons’ mother, Rosalie “Rose” Willson, was incredibly influential in her children’s lives, their choice of professions, and their success. Meredith’s journey to Broadway fame began on a parlor piano under the encouragement and direction of his mother – an accomplished musician, school teacher, and piano instructor. The Willson home was full of music. Rosalie gathered the family around the piano every evening to sing favorite songs, and the children’s musical training expanded to include harp, bassoon, flute, and piccolo. Meredith frequently recognized his mother as the inspiration behind several of his compositions including The Music Man song “Lida Rose.”

In the 1890’s Rosalie established a private Kindergarten in Mason City which was held in her home and attended by many local children at that time including Hanford MacNider. In addition to teaching, music, and leading Sunday School at the Congregational Church, Rosalie was very instrumental in the organization of the Mason City Humane Society. While children and animals were her primary passions throughout her life, Rosalie was credited with the appropriate naming of the Winnebago River. After much persistence, Rosalie was successful in getting Lime Creek and Willow Creek recognized as separate bodies and the Winnebago River received its name bestowed in a ceremony held at its source near Forest City with representatives of the Winnebago Tribe of Native Americans present. >> READ MORE about Rosalie Willson, Mother of “The Music Man”

MASON CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY & CHARLES H. MACNIDER ART MUSEUM

The MacNider legacy runs deep in Mason City. The family patriarch, Charles H. MacNider came to Mason City with nothing and made his way to hold one of the most prominent financial and professional positions in the city. His wife, May Hanford MacNider, was very accomplished herself and devoted her life to community service. She was the first president of the Women’s Civic Club, a position that contributed to her becoming a leading force of community improvement locally and throughout the state of Iowa.

One of May’s greatest passions was conservation. Her work with the Iowa Conservation Association contributed to the development of the first state park, Ledges State Park near Boone. She was also instrumental in the preservation of Pilot Knob State Park near Forest City. She led efforts to establish parks throughout Mason City and her interest in conservation inspired her family to set aside land for park development including Georgia Hanford Park, Frederick Hanford Park, and the Margaret MacNider Park and Campgrounds.

May was very involved in efforts to support the women’s suffrage movement and was also passionate about reading and literacy. When the first attempt to establish a public library in Mason City failed, May and a group of local women took over the effort. May helped raise the matching funds for a Carnagie grant to build the library. Dedicated on January 10, 1905, it is considered the finest example of Neoclassical architecture in Mason City.

By the 1930’s, the Carnagie Library had become too small. May and her sons donated the seven acres for the current library and its grounds. It’s said that the unusual curved design of the current building was partly due to May’s passion for conservation and her insistence that as few trees as possible be cut down for the construction of the new building. In addition, she personally funded the first bookmobile to provide reading materials to rural children throughout the area.

May’s own children were definitely impacted by her love of community service and generosity. Her legacy lived on in her son General Hanford MacNider’s numerous gifts and contributions to the community.

In recognition of his mother’s service as the longest-serving member of the library’s board of trustees (1888-1953) and her love of literary discussions, “The General” commissioned Goodspeed Book Shop of Boston, a well-respected rare book dealer, to collect various letters, signatures, and accompanying images of famous authors.

What began with 32 framed autographs, grew to become a world-class collection of 100 rare and historic literary autographs donated to the Mason City Public Library in memory of May Hanford MacNider.

Letters written by Goethe, Rudyard Kipling, Louisa May Alcott, Oscar Wilde, Jack London, Walt Whitman, Charles Dickens, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Samuel Johnson, Washington Irving and Cotton Mather, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Sara Teasdale, Julia Ward Howe, Harriet Beecher Stowe are just a few of the original handwritten correspondence and signatures in this treasured collection.

Due to preservation efforts, only twelve autographs from the collection are on display at once. Visitors are encouraged to visit the Library’s archives department and peruse a book featuring the complete collection.

In addition, General MacNider and his wife, Margaret, purchased the Keeler home in 1964 and donated it to the City of Mason City for the purpose of a community arts center. Named in honor of his father, the Charles H. MacNider Art Museum is home to an incredible collection of American art, the famous Bil Baird marionettes, and an impressive range of ceramics. >> LEARN MORE

CARRIE LANE CHAPMAN CATT GIRLHOOD HOME

Born on January 9, 1859, in Ripon, WI, Carrie Clinton Lane was seven years old when her family moved to Charles City, Iowa (located just 30 miles east of Mason City). At the age of 24, Carrie Lane was appointed superintendent of Mason City schools – the first woman in the nation appointed to the superintendent position.

In 1887, Carrie joined the Iowa Woman Suffrage Association. By 1890, began working nationally for the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) and established a reputation as a leading force in the women’s suffrage movement. In 1892, at the request of Susan B. Anthony, Carrie addressed Congress on the proposed suffrage amendment. In 1900, she succeeded Anthony as president of the NAWSA.

On August 26, 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment officially became part of the United States Constitution. One hundred forty-four years after U.S. independence, all women in the United States were at last guaranteed the right to vote. Today, visitors can learn more about her inspiring story and her fight for women’s rights at the Carrie Lane Chapman Catt Girlhood Home in Charles City, Iowa.