In 1906, The Iowa City Commercial Club published a little booklet entitled Our Live Ones – Iowa City – hiring a cartoonist by the name Hruska to draw 40 sketches of our city’s most prominent leaders. From Mayor George W. Ball to County Attorney W.J. McDonald, from Department Store Owner Frank R. Hatch and Pharmacist W. E. Shrader to Cigar Shop Owners Otto H. Fink and Thomas A. (Buster) Brown, the list offered an entertaining look at 39 men and – wait for it – one woman! Remember now – this is 1906, so the fact that any woman was on this list of those “who made and are making Iowa City” is miraculous. But that fact, all-the-more, tells us about the grit and determination of this turn-of-the-century, visionary named Elizabeth Hannah Irish, who opened a business college, becoming one of Iowa City’s first business women to be included in The Commercial Club – the forerunner of the Chamber of Commerce. Amazingly, over a 45 year span (1895-1940), Irish’s University Business College successfully prepared 12,000 students for productive jobs in the business community!
CHECK OUT THE COMPLETE BLOG SERIES – Iowa City’s Top 50 Influencers – Part II
Back in 1979 – The Iowa City Press Citizen ran a special seven-page section called Chronology 1841/1979 and it featured Iowa City’s famed historian – Irving Weber – and his look at 25 People Who Left Their Stamp On Iowa City. So, here we are – forty-four years later – and now, I’m offering these two posts – dedicated to those who have greatly influenced our city over the first 100 years or so. This page features the First 25, and as you can see, each of the 25 names has a brief overview with a link(s) to read more, if you like. Enjoy!
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