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Mt. Pleasant Historic Preservation Commission publishes new book on historic homes
A new book from the Mt. Pleasant Historic Preservation Commission pairs 1909 photographs with modern images and historical narratives to showcase the city's enduring architectural heritage
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MT. PLEASANT — The Mt. Pleasant Historic Preservation Commission has published a new book that offers a unique “then and now” look at the city’s historic homes. The book, Mount Pleasant Beautiful: Then and Now, is the fourth in a series and features over 120 black-and-white photographs of homes from 1909, alongside modern color images and historical narratives detailing their past and present.
“We wanted to show how these homes have stood the test of time and to highlight the people who lived in them,” Mt. Pleasant Historic Preservation member Joy Lapp explained. “This book is a way to honor Mt. Pleasant’s history and tell these stories.”
According to Lapp, this book is designed to complement the Mt. Pleasant Daily News’ original Mount Pleasant Beautiful which they published in 1909. The original contained 300 black and white photographs of homes, businesses, schools, and churches from the city at the time.
Moving forward, Lapp and Mt. Pleasant Historic Commission member Lea Bradley chose to continue the preservation of this history by featuring the still-standing homes from the 1909 publication in a “then and now” format.
The commission meticulously researched which homes from the 1909 publication were still standing and included them in the book.
“We said, how many of those houses are still standing?” Lapp explained. “Oh, plus, there was a church in here that has become a house and the Harlan Lincoln house, which is on the former Iowa Wesleyan campus.”
The homes in the book are listed chronologically with the oldest house in town built in 1846. Several of the dwellings in this publication include rich histories and stories. Many were designed by architect George Barber, known for his distinctive round windows and porches.
“Barber’s designs were sold through catalogs and can be found all over the country,” Bradley explained. “Mt. Pleasant has one of the highest per capita concentrations of his homes.”
Some of the homes are featured in stories related to well-known individuals such as Tom Vilsack and Janice Joplin.
For Lapp, it was important to include the history of the women involved with these homes and to tell their stories as well.
One such story is told of a young widow who became a successful dressmaker and employed a dozen women.
“She was a remarkable woman who built a thriving business in a time when that was rare,” Lapp said.
Another home was once the residence of an outlaw who later became notorious in the West.
“He was part of a gang and even killed a town marshal,” Lapp explained.
With such a rich history in each home, of course hidden gems and ghost stories pops up in the book as well.
“During renovations, the owners found a hidden staircase leading to a basement wine cellar, which was likely used during Prohibition,” Lapp said of a home located on Morony Street. “They had no idea it was there.”
Some believe the spirit of a young man who died in a house on North Lincoln Street still haunts the home to this day.
“There are reports of the sounds of footsteps upstairs, doors opening and closing on their own, the sound of water being turned on in the bathtub and on occasion, the dogs barking at the stairs then following absolutely nothing up the backstairs,” Lapp shared.
In that particular home she says a repair man once stopped by while the owners were out and heard someone upstairs. When he investigated and didn’t find anyone, refused to go back without the owners present.
According to Lapp and Bradley, the response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive.
“We’ve sold over 150 copies in the first two months,” Bradley shared. “People love learning about the history of their town and their own neighborhoods.”
Before releasing the book many readers of this publication may have seen the homes featured in the books. According to Lapp, this was a strategic plan thought up by Bradley. They arranged with the paper to showcase these homes and draw interest.
So, those that enjoyed seeing the homes in previous issues of the Southeast Iowa Union might further satisfy their historic curiosity by either purchasing one of these books or checking out the recently donated copy at the Mt. Pleasant Public Library.
Copies of Mount Pleasant Beautiful: Then and Now are available at Brown’s Shoe Fit or by calling Lea Bradley at (319) 931-0671.
Both women agree that this book is more than just a collection of photographs of beautiful homes, but a method to preserve history and the stories of this town for many generations to come.
With the book’s success, the Historic Preservation Commission is looking ahead to its next project: restoring the Second Baptist Church, the oldest African American church in Iowa.
“Our goal is to renovate the basement this summer and eventually establish a Museum of African American History,” Lapp said.
Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com
