Writers Circle: Our local history

Members of The Gazette Writers Circle were joined this month by Adam Ebert and Jason Wright from The History Center to discuss the role our past plays in the community's present.

On Sept. 1, The History Center will host a community conversation about how the center can best serve the community.

CONNECTING OUR PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

By Adam Ebert

The surge of interest in local culture and arts is one of the most gratifying aspects of living in Linn County during the past several years. A deeper appreciation for the area's history is one component that has moved to the forefront. As president of The History Center's board of directors, and as a history professor at Mount Mercy University, I am delighted to see stronger engagement with our past and how it connects to our present and future. These are also reasons why The History Center is revitalizing its roles and image in the community.

First, the post-flood renaissance has raised awareness of what we stand to lose if our past is not anchored in our present. The catastrophe tempered our inclinations to demolish what remained, and brought heightened interest in histories that shaped our present opportunities and ways of life. Through that reflective process, archives at The History Center illuminated details sought by homeowners, businesses, public officials and builders. While there is sometimes a misconception that economic progress and historical preservation are at odds, no one needs to look far in order to see historical priority in many downtown renovations, the revival of the NewBo and Czech Village districts, and the programming offered through several non-profit organizations. It turns out that history inspires more glamour and meaning than many might have guessed.

In the midst of a blossoming cultural scene, The History Center's board of directors recognized the opportunity to re-evaluate current operations and consider new ways to fulfill its mission to preserve and share the history of Linn County. That self-assessment has already shown meaningful results. The board resolved to investigate new options and to volunteer significant time to make ideas into reality. The recent appointment of Jason S. Wright as Executive Director brought the professional talent, vision, and experience needed to set a successful path for the future. Board, staff, volunteers and stakeholders collaborated to create a new strategic plan that sets the groundwork for organizational excellence and propels The History Center through the two-year restoration of its new home in the Douglas Mansion at 800 2nd Ave SE. Relocation to the Douglas Mansion will provide a compelling venue to share the county's history, entertain area residents, and guarantee a responsible steward for a property on the National Register of Historic Places. In the meanwhile, the organization's office and collection are securely housed at 716 Oakland Rd NE. These are the types of decisive actions that prompted Dan Hampton to encourage everyone to 'Keep your eyes on The History Center” in his Aug. 12 letter to the editor.

Beyond watching an organization on the move, The History Center warmly invites interested members of the public to join in a community conversation at the African American Museum of Iowa on Sept. 1, 5:30-7:30 p.m. We seek authentic input from individuals who want to help define how The History Center can work to provide a premier cultural space, public resource, and patron experience. Personal interests and insights about history in the community are welcome, which also will provide a comfortable springboard into conversation about how The History Center can best serve the area. Gazette Community Engagement Manager Quinn Pettifer will facilitate our discussion and help map the evening's themes.

In the end, a deliberate and open process is underway that will reposition The History Center as a vibrant institution in a flourishing city. Community input, exceptional leadership and careful renovation of the Douglas Mansion are crucial components in our designs for success. Combined with renewed appreciation for history's significance in defining our sense of place and building civic pride, there is no better time to rally around the past for the sake of the future.

' Adam Ebert is president of The History Center's board of directors and Associate Professor of History at Mount Mercy University. Comments: aebert@mtmercy.edu

TRACES OF OUR HISTORY ARE EVERYWHERE

By Les Deal

I have been inside thousands of homes in our town over my career. The beauty of remodeling is that the work involves taking houses apart before altering or putting them back together. Taking a house apart brings history to the light of day. The skills of the carpenters who built the house are revealed as the components are uncovered. The carpenter's attitude and love of his work are 'readable” as well. This is true for all homes from early on to now. One can study the changes in the skills from one generation to another as well as the changes in the times. A house built during the depression, for example, often showed the difficulty acquiring materials as well as the scarcity of money; old lumber from a torn down building might be reused in the new. Rafters might be spaced further apart to lessen the number needed.

What I liked most was the pride element. I could tell by the selection of wood trim around a door, for example, when the grain matched from one piece to another I knew it was no accident. Matching trim meant that the carpenter went through the wood pile to find pieces with similar grain. Likewise, hidden in the framing was each individual carpenter's pride. His methods for securing strength for the 'long haul” were sometimes above and beyond code. Especially where staircases were concerned, strong staircases don't squeak or flex as you walk on them. Many staircases will appear to pass that simple test when new, but only the well-built ones will stay that way after decades of use.

My favorite 'history” memory occurred while remodeling an older two-story house. As I was exposing the framing on the main level I could tell precisely the area of the home where one particular carpenter had worked during its construction. Seeing the technique used in shaping and assembling was beyond standards in the trade. It was a personal method taught by experience and a deeper-than-normal caring. I felt like I was visiting with him while studying and admiring his work. In that moment I felt almost apologetic for intruding his space. That phenomena occurred in many homes.

My experience has shown me a history of strong values and high standards. I doubt if those traits are unique to my stories. Let's all add to the history of our city and create an inclusive story worthy of marketing.

' Les Deal is a retired remodeling contractor living in Cedar Rapids. Comments: ldealandw@aol.com

LEARNING THE BEST WAY TO TELL ‘OUR STORY'

By Michael Richards

How we define history shapes our perception of our society and, on a local level, our perception of our own community. History provides the context of how we each understand ourselves as individual members of our community.

History. The word itself is a very strong statement of the long standing global world view of patriarchy and vested political power. His story? How about Her story? Or even more challenging and necessary, how about telling Our Story? How do we define and understand the living history of the people of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the USA? Why do we place so much emphasis on names such as Sinclair and Howard Hall, and leave the hundreds of our neighbors who kept the industries that Hall and Sinclair owned operating and productive unnamed and unrecognized? Both the job creators and the job workers are equally important within an economic ecosystem. The history of a community includes the life and sweat of all of us. Were the thousand 100-year-old homes swept away in the flood of 2008 any less 'historical” than grand locations such as the Paramount, banks or churches? The vernacular architecture of the core of Cedar Rapids held a valuable history of craftsmanship and local materials such as native Iowa woodwork and limestone block foundations hewed out of the verdant hills along our meandering rivers. Our loss of such history was profound. A year or so ago, our mayor announced that all housing lost in the flood 'had been rebuilt or replaced”. This official city tally only included the physical walls, the brick and mortar. Many of the publicly subsidized post-flood housing units were granted to families who had not experienced the devastation of the flood. There was never any official record of where the actual flood victims ended up after the flood. Thankfully, most were restored to homes here in our community … however a forever unnamed post-disaster diaspora were never accounted for. There are missing pages of our history. City government skillfully crafted post flood PR about our recovery. 'Spin” does not equal historic reality, it is fact specifically designed to rewrite and reshape public perception of our actual history. I personally stood on devastated streets with my fellows that were also hit direct by the disaster. I looked face to face into tear filled eyes. Some history is too deep for words.

As I was growing up, most of our formal study of history was dominated by the study of wars, continental explorations, imperial colonization and the expansion of political power and military might. How do we tell the story of the entire living fabric of our community? What are the stories of everyday folks that dwell within the living pulse of history? What history is being made every day as we all live in this community? How can we best tell Our Story as the community of Cedar Rapids, Iowa?

As we preserve historic buildings and historic districts, how do we best understand and value the human lives that play out and intertwine during the process of our everyday life within these historic buildings and historic neighborhoods? A community is a living, moving fabric with thousands of threads. How do we understand our own lives within such a dynamic and ever changing system?

Our family has been carefully bringing a cluster of buildings back to life as both historic structures and to create living spaces where we live out, understand and expand our present history as a community. One of our family properties is the Matyk Building in the very heart of the Historic New Bohemia District.

The New Bohemia District makes up a few blocks within the Oakhill neighborhood. Oakhill is historically a working-class neighborhood. Oakhill holds a deep and rich history of many long-term residents and deeply rooted families that make up this vital village within a city. The historic fabric of Oakhill is a strong, intergenerational social tapestry. The history of Oakhill is told daily as grandparents and aunts and uncles share their fond memories of playing with friends on warm summer nights out in these very same streets, backyards and vacant lots. Long term place-making actually engenders a love of place here in the core of our city. This neighborhood has historic meaning for the families that live here.

A troubling paradox has entered into our neighborhood history during the last few years; millions of dollars of economic advantage accrue to real estate investors that negotiate a variety of tax incentives that keep money in the pockets of city designated 'preferred” developers. The city budget needs are just as demanding as ever. City budget needs are actually increasing. Tax money still has to come from most of us, as taxes are deferred for a select few. While affluent new residents are offered economic incentives and 10-year tax abatements in New Bo, a block away across the railroad tracks, long-term residents of the same Oakhill neighborhood are seeing their property taxes jump dramatically. I have documented as high as 100 percent increases in property tax levied on fixed income elderly homeowners that are the living history of this neighborhood. As we incentivize new buildings within a historic district, how do we also honor the oldest members of our community? Making it economically difficult or even impossible for them to live out their valuable lives in their own neighborhood does not represent the legacy of a caring community that I would like to leave for my children and grandchildren. I do not fault the families that have purchased condos with such an attractive tax advantage, the problem lies with local government that sets up such regressive tax structures as a matter of public policy.

What stories, precedents and memories do we want to leave in this community as we all tell Our Story?

' Michael Richards is a lifelong entrepreneur and community activist that has resided in the Cedar Rapids Iowa City corridor for 20 years. Comments: soyawax@aol.com