40 Turn-Of-The-Century Leaders Who Shaped Iowa City.

*SUI University Square was transitioning to The New University. Read more here.*

The year is 1906.

At the turn of the century, Iowa City was bustling with business. Not only was the State University of Iowa (SUI) expanding its campus (see pic above), but downtown Iowa City was alive with growth as well (below).

*(M-0039)* *Looking directly north on Clinton Street, here’s the corner of Clinton & Washington Streets in downtown Iowa City in 1907. Read more here.*

*(L-0091)* *Looking directly north on Dubuque Street, here’s the corner of Dubuque & College Streets in downtown Iowa City in 1907.*

(P-0039) **Iowa City Promotional Post Cards Featuring City Hall & City Park**. At the turn-of-the-century, Iowa City utilized a promotional campaign – picking up on the SUI initials – **See Us Increase**.

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 1 woman (remember – this is 1906) “who made and are making Iowa City.”

Below is an overview of the 40 leaders pictured in Our Live Ones. The links you see will take you to more biographical information provided by the Iowa City Public Library…

1) **W. J. McDonald** – Lawyer/County Attorney
2) **J. J. Ney** – Judge
3) **J. L. Records** – Equitable Manufacturing Co.
4) **Robert N. Carson** – Grocer
5) **Henry Louis** – Crescent Pharmacy
6) **William Lutton** – St. James Hotel Manager
7) **Max Mayer** – Good Clothing Store
8) **Jim Aldous, Jr.** – Florist
9) **Paul A. Korab** – Banking
10) **Orr L. Keith** – Jewelry

*(P-0045)* **Johnson County Court House** – home to Attorney W.J. McDonald and Judge J.J. Ney.

11) **Morris A. Lichtenstein** – Golden Eagle Clothiers
12) **T. W. Townsend** – Photographer
13) **Elizabeth Irish** – Irish’s University Business College
14) **John Hands** – Jewelry
15) **Frank R. Hatch** – Department Store
16) **Thomas. A. (Buster) Brown** – Cigars
17) **J. J. Stach** – Shoes
18) **Owens & Graham** – Laundry
19) **W. P. Hohenschuh** – Furniture
20) **H. K. Morton** – Shoes

**Thomas A. (Buster) Brown**‘s Cigar Store on Clinton Street.

21) **C. C. Putnam & F. E. Humeston** – Merchant’s Lunch Room
22) **John & Robert Whetstone** – Pharmacy
23) **W. S. Thomas** – Hardware
24) **Otto H. Fink** – Cigars
25) **M. C. Parsons** – Hardware
26) **A. M. Greer** – Jewelry & Music Store
27) **A. G. Prince** – Florist
28) **W. E. Shrader** – Pharmacy
29) **Winfield Hughes** – Music Store
30) **Ernest H. Ross** – Insurance/Real Estate

**O.T. Fink’s Cigar Store in The St. James Hotel on the corner of Clinton Street & Iowa Avenue** – read more here.

31) **C. A. Webber** – Printing
32) **Dr. P. H. P. Edwards** – Veterinarian
33) **J. H. Novak** – Pharmacy
34) **Sam T. Morrison** – Jewelry
35) **E. D. Murphy** – Furniture/Mortician
36) **W. F. Main** – Jewelry & Stationary
37) **O. H. Carpenter** – Architect
38) **J. D. Reichardt** – Confectioner
39) **W. W. Morrison** – Crescent Pharmacy
40) **George W. Ball** – Iowa City Mayor

*(P-0276)* **City Hall** – home to Mayor George W. Ball.

Thus far, Our Iowa Heritage has explored a bit deeper into the lives of ten of these 1906 community leaders. Click on the link for more…

***H. Elizabeth Irish*** *– Irish’s University Business College.*

**Frank R. Hatch** – Hatch’s Department Store

**W. E. Shrader** – Shrader Drug Company.

**Thomas A. (Buster) Brown** – Cigars & Movie Theatres

**T.W. Townsend** – Photographer. In 1866, **Timothy W. (T.W.) Townsend** moved to Iowa City and established Townsend’s Photography Studio above Whetstone’s Drug Store. In 1888, Townsend moved on to Lincoln, Nebraska, and in 1894, was awarded a diploma for meritorious work at the exposition of the National Photographers Association in St Louis. In 1898, Townsend moved to Pasadena, California and bought the Westerfelt Photography Studio, which was the largest studio in Los Angeles. In 1899, Townsend bought the P. D. Wert’s Photography Studio (mentioned earlier) in Iowa City, and left his Los Angeles studio to be run by his son, Charles Fremont Townsend.

In 1887, The Iowa City Republican offered a fairly complete business directory – including three men who would appear again in the 1906 Iowa City Commercial Club booklet. Max Mayer (left), W.P. Hohenschuh (center), and John Whetstone (right). Read more here.

In closing, let me share what was written in 1906 about these forty “sturdy, staunch and true citizens” of Iowa City…

*Might I add – “Men and ONE BRAVE WOMAN” to this quote…*

A tip of the old hat to this 1906 “Hall of Fame” – 40 business leaders who made Iowa City into the up-n-coming community of the 20th century. And to the 1906 cartoonist known only as Hruska, who did one heck of a job on the artwork of this project.

On July 1, 1976, The Iowa City Press-Citizen published a special 76-page Bicentennial edition. In that edition there were articles and pictures related to stories found on this page. You can read more here.