116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Time Machine: Castleton
The Boegel home was filled with music
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
A couple of years ago, a new multi-story condo complex, Douglas on First, went up on First Avenue SE next door to the iconic Brucemore.
More than a century and a half ago, a beautiful three-story home stood on that site named “Castleton” by its owners.
Among the house’s features were 12-foot ceilings, four inlaid block fireplaces and a music room that contained both a harp and a grand piano. The walls featured hand-painted roses and figures.
On the front lawn was a cast iron fountain with a fish that spouted water from its mouth.
The Boegel family lived in the home at 1949 First Ave. SE for more than 50 years, but it was originally built in 1872 by Billy Richmond, who reportedly never lived in it.
Charles W. Boegel purchased the house in 1907.
Boegel ran a clothing store in Marengo, which he sold in 1905. The family moved to Cedar Rapids in 1906. Charles took over managing the Glasgow Woolen Mills Co., a tailor and clothing retailer, at 318 First Ave. E., in March 1907.
Family orchestra
The Boegels became well known in Cedar Rapids, partly because of their musicianship.
They formed a family orchestra for the children’s education, for the love of music and for something the family could do together.
Charles Boegel played violin. His wife, Del, played harp. Each of their six children, as soon as they were old enough to learn, were handed an instrument and were taught how to play it.
Maxine played cello; Ralph, flute; Charles Jr., violin; Leone, cornet; Thelma, viola; and Bernard, clarinet.
A 1916 Gazette story described the family orchestra.
“How the orchestra came into existence is an interesting tale. Mr. and Mrs. Boegel, both naturally gifted along musical lines, played together for years, one on the violin, the other the harp. One day Mr. Boegel suggested to his wife that they organize an orchestra. Before him stood his six children. He said to one, you play this instrument; to another, you play that one, and so on. He never asked the children which musical instrument they wished to play. He decided right off and immediately purchased equipment for the orchestra. The instruments were given to the children, they were put under the best teachers and soon the head of the family was directing an orchestra composed of his wife and six children.”
Charles never saw his family as a public-performing group. But in October 1915, their old friends in Marengo contacted them about a newly built Methodist church that still had a lot of debt hanging over it. The Boegels consented to return and hold a benefit concert.
Fundraising
The Marengo opera house was packed on Oct. 28. The Marengo Republican reviewed the concert.
“Little Charles W. Boegel Jr., second violinist, handled his instrument as though it were a joy and delight, although there was a hint of sleep in his bright eyes before the long program was finished. The appearance of Miss Leone and Master Bernard on the stage at the commencement of the ninth number was signal for hearty applause. These two little nine- and ten-year-old children handled their instruments like veterans. The vocal solo by Mrs. Boegel, ‘Whisper and I Shall Hear,’ accompanied by Miss Maxine at the piano and Mr. Boegel on the violin, was fine. Her response to the encore, ‘Sweetest Story Every Told,’ accompanying herself on the harp while her husband played softly on the violin, was beautiful.”
With that performance began a series of benefit affairs, starting with a May 1916 performance at Cedar Rapids’ Johnson school to benefit the school’s PTA.
In 1929, Charles Jr. began operating radio station W9CVU from home. He and three of his radio friends – one from Kentucky, one from Arkansas, and one from Missouri – formed the NBC, or Nutty Broadcasters’ Club.
While her son was experimenting and improving his radio receiver sets, Del Boegel was busy with the Ashley Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She served as regent from 1934-1936.
Charles Boegel died at age 76 in May 1943. Del Boegel followed five years later in October 1948. Del’s will left the homestead to Thelma and Maxine, reserving the right for Charles Jr. to live there as well. The rest of the estate was divided between the six children.
In 1956, the house was sold to United Fire & Casualty Co., which began the process of demolishing it. While the demolition went on, Thelma and Maxine refused to go near the property.
The fish fountain was moved to the Roy Choate home at 513 Vernon Dr. SE. Choate was co-founder of LaPlant-Choate Manufacturing, a company that soon became known worldwide for its road-building machinery.
Loomis Brothers was low bidder on a contract to build an office building on the site, but instead in 1957 they sold it to Joseph M. Sinaiko, president of the Iowa Milling Co.
In August 1958, construction of a new medical building, First Avenue Professional Building, was announced. Doctors were projected to occupy most of the suites in the building, with two set aside for dentists.
In 2020, the medical building was demolished.
Douglas on First began construction in the space in 2022.
Comments: D.fannonlangton@gmail.com
Daily Newsletters