
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).






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…


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



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



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



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


Thus far, Our Iowa Heritage has explored a bit deeper into the lives of five of these 1906 community leaders. Click on the link for the full story…
In closing, let me share what was written in 1906 about these forty “sturdy, staunch and true citizens” of Iowa City…

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.

Kudos to the amazing resources below for the many quotes, photographs, etc. used on this page.
Artist Hruska – 40 illustrations, Iowa City Public Library
Coldren Opera House, Iowa City, Wikipedia
Photos from: Finials – A View of Downtown Iowa City, Marybeth Slonneger, pp 75, 98, 164-165
Frank R. Hatch, Iowa City Public Library
Where is John Jasiah Hatch buried? PeopleLegacy
Edna M. Hufman Hatch, Find-A-Grave
Click here to go on to the next section…
Click here for a complete INDEX of Our Iowa Heritage stories…