Resources within Reach - State Historical Society of Iowa

community center while, in Sioux City, the city council provided for removing to StonePark one of the oldest houses in the city. Nevertheless, the marking of sitescommanded most public attention, partly due both to its active promotion by CuratorEdgar Harlan of the Historical Department and to the work by local chapters of theDaughters of the American Revolution.During this time period, archeological interests also bloomed as more individualsbecame interested in Iowa’s archeological heritage. Archeological research during thisperiod was largely focused on prehistoric and historic American Indian sites andmaterials. Archeological research focused on classification of artifacts in the collectionsand establishing chronologies for the culture history of not only Iowa, but the entirenation (Alex 2000, 21). The Iowa Archaeological Survey was created in 1921 byBenjamin F. Shambaugh, superintendent of the State Historical Society of Iowa. TheIowa Archaeological Survey “represented an outgrowth of Shambaugh’s and theUniversity of Iowa’s involvement with the efforts of the National Research Council’sCommittee on State Archaeological Surveys to organize systematic archeologicalresearch at the state level.” (Tiffany 1981, 3; Tandarich and Horton 1976, 46; Schroder1981, 71–72) He appointed Charles R. Keyes as a research associate in the Society towork on the survey. Charles R. Keyes, often credited as “the Father of IowaArcheology”, served as Director of the Iowa Archaeological Survey until his death in1951. (Alex 2000, 21)When the economic depression of the 1930s grew worse, political leadersintroduced numerous economic measures to put people to work, which included givingattention to historic places. Under auspices of the National Planning Board, the 1935report of the Iowa State Planning Board set forth a statewide plan for historic and scenicsites of Iowa. The report dealt with places that justified state interest, but alsoinvestigated those “highly desirable and important to local agencies and worthy of theiracquisition, preservation and maintenance.” After examining a hundred points ofhistorical significance from the 202 areas tabulated by local organizations andindividuals, six projects were selected for statewide acquisition, restoration, andpreservation—the John Brown House near Springdale in Cedar County, the site ofIowa’s first schoolhouse at Galland in Lee County, the stone mill at Motor in ClaytonCounty, the former home of Ansel Briggs at Andrew, an old flour mill at Decorah inWinneshiek County, and a farmhouse near Winterset in Madison County used as anunderground railroad station. Unfortunately, nothing came of these hopeful efforts. Nonecame under state ownership and, consequently, only two—the limestone mills at Motorand at Decorah—remain standing today.Important archeological investigations throughout the state were conducted duringthe 1930s and 1940s under the auspices of the Iowa Archaeological Survey directed byCharles R. Keyes and his assistant, Ellison Orr. Many of these investigations utilized“crews provided by federal programs such as the Federal Emergency ReliefAdministration and the Work Projects Administration.” (Alex 2000, 21) Keyes served asa tremendous advocate for understanding and appreciating Iowa’s archeologicalheritage, largely attributable to American Indian cultures and tribes, through his lecturesand published popular articles. (Alex 2000, 21) His efforts to promote public awarenessResources within Reach: Iowa’s Statewide Historic Preservation Plan 8