HomeMy WebLinkAbout03-09-2022 Parks & Recreation CommissionIowa City
Parks and Recreation Commission
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
5:00 p.m.
Robert A. Lee Recreation Center — Meeting Room B
AGENDA
ITEM 1 CALL TO ORDER
ITEM 2 APPROVAL OF JANUARY 12, 2022 MINUTES
ITEM 3 PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA
� E f ), ut",
0
ITEM 4 RECREATION FACILITIES AND PROGRAM MASTER PLAN UPDATE — BRAD
BARKER
ITEM 5 MONTGOMER-BUTLER HOUSE DISCUSSION —TYLER BAIRD
ITEM 6 REPORT ON ITEMS FROM CITY STAFF
a) Parks & Recreation Director —Juli Seydell Johnson
b) Recreation Division Superintendent — Brad Barker
c) Parks Division Superintendent —Tyler Baird
ITEM 7 CHAIRS REPORT
ITEM 8 COMMISSION TIME/SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
ITEM 9 ADJOURN
If you will need disability -related accommodations in order to participate in this program/event, please
contact Tammy Neumann, Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department at 3191356-5210 or tammy-
neumann@iowa-city.org. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your
access needs.
IOWA CITY PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION PRELIMINARY
MINUTES JANUARY 12, 2022
ROBERT A. LEE RECREATION CENTER — MTG ROOM B
Members Present: Missie Forbes, Alex Hachtman, Brian Morelli, Christopher Odinet, Boniface
Penandjo Lemoupa, Melissa Serenda, Michelle Wiegand
Members Absent: April Schmidt, Brianna Wills
Staff Present: Tyler Baird, Brad Barker, Juli Seydell Johnson
Others Present: None
CALL TO ORDER: Vice Chairman Hachtman called the meeting to order at 5 p.m.
RECOMMENDATIONS TOCOUNCIL- (to become effective only after separate Council action):
Moved by Odinet seconded by Serenda to approve the proposed FY23 Fees and Charges Schedule
for Parks and recreation programs and facilities as presented. Passed 7-0 Schmidt and Will
absent).
OTHER FORMAL ACTION:
Moved by Serenda seconded by Odinet to approve the November~ Ill 2021 minutes as written..
Motion passed 7-0 Schuridt and Wills absent').
PUBLIC DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA:
None
INTRODUCTION OF NEW COMMISSION MEMBERS & COMMISSION ORIENTATION -
JUL] SEYDELL JOHNSON:
Seydell Johnson welcomed Missie Forbes, Brian Morelli, and Michelle Wiegand to the Commission. She
thanked them for their commitment and their willingness to serve on the Parks and Recreation
Commission. Commission members, as well as staff, introduced themselves to the new members.
Seydell Johnson shared the departments organizational chart with the board members. She explained that
in addition to staff present this evening, the department includes 40+ permanent full and part-time staff
members working in Recreation, Parks and Forestry, Cemetery and Facilities Management. The
department also includes temporary part-time and seasonal staff. This group of staff members worked
over 96,000 hours in 2021
Seydell Johnson provided an orientation for Commission members. She stressed that members should
never hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments they may have or with questions they may
receive from members of the public. She reminded members to be aware of open meeting laws which
state that no more than three members may hold a discussion regarding Parks and Recreation Commission
items.
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
January 12, 2022
Page 2 of 7
Seydell Johnson explained that the Corninission agenda packets are eniailed to members the Thursday
prior to the Conlinission Meeting. Packets are rnade available to the public on the City website as well.
Packets include the agenda, minutes from the previous meeting, staff reports, as well as documents
representing agenda items. Meetings are scheduled the second Wednesday of the nionth. All meetings are
video- and audio -recorded. She noted that occasionally an audience will be present. Public discussion is
for comments from the public regarding items that are not included on the agenda, it' further discussion is
warranted, the item will be added to a future Commission agenda. Items that are not on the agenda may
not be discussed. She noted that the Parks and Recreation C,ormnission is an advisory board and as such,
any actions recommended during a meeting are then presented to Council.
Seydell Johnson went on to inform members of a Couple of items they can expect to see on the agenda
soon. She noted that the Commission will take part in narning or renaming of parks in the Cornmunity.
One such park will be within the Palisades Development. It has been determined that simply naming the
park Palisades Park will cause confusion with Palisades Kepler State park being nearby. Another
significant projject is the "Gather flere" Recreation Master Plan initiative, This plan includes an
evaluation of the conditions and lifespan of recreation facilities, as well as current programs, activities,
and events offered by the Recreation Department. The departinerit is working with the consultant Berry
Dunn to assess the needs and desires of the community to help shape the future of the recreation programs
and facilities offered.
Wiegand asked if there are volunteer opportunities available for conimission members. Seydell Johnson
said that there may be opportunities to volunteer for a subcommittee as well as ribbon cutting ceremonies
and other public events.
E1.ECTIONOFOIFF1 ERS—JULIHYDELLJOHNSON
Seydell Johnson announced that each January it is necessary for the Commission to nominate and elect
and Chair and Vice Chair to the board. Odinet nominated Hachtman to serve as the Chairperson.
Hachtman accepted the nomination.
Moved by Odinet, seconded by Serendato nominate Alex flaclitman as the Chairperson of the
Parks and Recreation Corturti s *on for the 2022 term. Motion nriser 7-0 (Schmidt and Wills
absent).
Odinet nominated Serenda to serve as vice -chair for the Parks and Recreation Commission. Serenda
respectfully declined.
Serenda nominated Odinet to serve as vice -chair for the Parks and Recreation Commission. Odinet
accepted the nomination.
Moved by ierenda, seconded by llachtnna.n to nominate Christo her Odinet as the Vice -chair of the
Parks and Recreation Commission for the 2022 term. Motion passed 7-0 (Schmidt and Wills
absent).
APPROVAL OF MINU'
Moved by Odinet, seconded bv Serenda, to rove the November 1,0, 2021 Parks and Recreation
Commission Minutes as written. Mrrtion passed 7-2 (Schmidt and Wills absentl.
PIJBI,ICDISCUSSION OFANY I'I'EMSNOT O THEAGL.LN DA
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
January 12, 2022
Page 3 of 7
None
FY23 PARKS AND RECREATION ION FEESC HEDULE — BRAD BARKER
Barker directed Commission's attention to the FY23 Fee Schedule included in their agenda packets. He
explained that every year staff reviews current fees and charges for recreation programs and facility
rentals. Staff determines if the fees are representative of the costs incurred for running a program and if
they are reasonable rates to charge the public. Any fee increases are usually in the 3 to 5 percent range,
however some may differ as staff works to keep them at rounded dollar amounts. He noted that there were
no fee increases proposed in FY22, however, there are increases proposed for FY23. He pointed out that
none of the proposed fee increases are of a significant amount. He shared that the department minimum
wage for part-time and seasonal temporary staff members has progressively increased over the last few
years from $10.50 to $15.00 per hour. Some of the rate increases will help to offset this expense.
Morelli noted that the proposed group rentals have gone to an hourly rate and asked if this will generate
more income for the department. Barker explained that this change is to better accommodate public
needs. It has always been necessary for a patron to rent a facility in three-hour time blocks, whether they
used it for that entire time or not. This will not only allow for the public to choose the specific number of
hours needed for their event, but also provide more hours for others to rent space.
Serenda asked if the program fees cover the program costs. Barker said that in most cases they do not. He
further explained that costs are also subsidized with City funds. Seydell Johnson stated that approximately
35 to 40 percent of the costs are covered by the fees charged. Hachtman asked if there are scholarship
opportunities available. Barker said that the department offers a "Rec Assist" program, previously known
as the "Low Income Discount" program. With the name change, other updates to the program have also
occurred to better serve the public. Patrons used to have to come in person and fill out the discount form
prior to every registration. The Rec Assist program only requires them to fill out the form once per
calendar year and that information is kept in a database so that the discount can be applied throughout the
year. This program is income based and provides a 50% discount to those that qualify. There is also a
swim scholarship program funded with Parks and Recreation Foundation funds. These funds cover 100%
of the cost for swim lessons. Staff are currently looking at expanding the swim scholarship fund to cover
other program areas as well.
Moved by Odinet seconded by Serenda to approve the aro osed FY23 Fees and. Char yes Schedule
for Parks and Recreation progranis and facilities as Presented. Passed 7-0 Schmidt and 'l'4''ill
absent).
REPORTON ITEMS FROM CITY $T AfF
Parks & Recreation Director—,Iuli"_ eydei Johnson
Budget _Upd te: Seydell Johnson reported that department directors presented their department budgets
to City Council at a special meeting held on Saturday, January 8. Seydell Johnson did not receive many
questions from Council. She explained that there are some factors that have impacted the City budget.
Those include that rental properties are taxed differently in addition to changes at the State level and there
has been little growth in housing and development. She further noted staff will need to remain
conservative with budget and financial planning for the foreseeable future. She stated that the department
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
January 12, 2022
Page 4of7
strives to keep service levels high while making smart decisions in doing so. For instance, staff is
currently looking at the feasibility of continuing the Wednesday evening Farmers Market. The market
vendor and patron numbers have gradually decreased over the last several years. It has been determined
that there needs to be at least 15 vendors who commit to and pay for an entire Wednesday season to
justify continuing these markets. It has also been decided to shorten the Wednesday evening season from
May through October to June through September. Vendors have been made aware of these changes and
have until mid -February to register. There are no changes to the Saturday Farmers Market.
dCa i'tal Improvement Projects: Seydell Johnson reported that the items included in the Parks and
Recreation CIP budget are going strong. Many of the projects underway are directed from the 2016 Parks
Master Plan. There have been several new shelters and playgrounds added to various city parks and some
that are still underway. The wetland improvements and restoration began last fall at Whispering Meadows
with improvements to the trail and bridge as well as the addition of a playground coming this spring. The
splashpads at both Fairmeadows and Wetherby Parks will be getting new above ground equipment this
spring. These projects will be partially funded with CDBG funds. This new equipment will decrease
water usage by half.
Proiect Status Report: Seydell Johnson announced that the Pedestrian Mall playground has been ordered
and is scheduled to be installed towards the end of May barring delays in production and delivery.
Glendale park concrete and grading are near completion in preparation for a new playground and shelter.
Staff hopes to install this equipment in the spring, again barring any delays. Other future projects
scheduled are included in the CIP list distributed earlier.
RECREATION DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT — BRAD BARKER
Recreation Master Plan Update: Barker explained that the department is working with Berry Dunn, a
consultant, to create a master plan to guide future planning for recreation programs and facilities. The
process began last fall by collecting data from staff and the community. The project phases include the
Project Planning and Discovery Phase, the Kickoff Phase, Engagement, Analysis and Visioning phases,
and finally the creation of a Draft and Final Plan. The final plan is slated to be complete by mid -year.
More details are available on the City's website at lilt 6^`v°w.uc�ov or,atym_u ��ncnt9plan�
and div sion5,'parr- � cl-�ecreaticr "m ,te g?:8 ,r s
As part of the Engagement phase, a statistical valid survey was sent to a group of members of the public.
The consultant reported that the number of surveys allow for the survey to be statistically valid. Staff and
consultants are being mindful in reaching out to not only those who already participate in programs and
use the recreation facilities, but also to those who do not take part in programs or use the facilities, to find
out the reason. The consultant is now moving into the assessment phase where they will look at
Recreation facilities including determining if they are ADA accessible as well as what the life expectancy
is of these facilities. One facility that they will be looking at closely is City Park Pool which is 72 years
old. A second round of gathering public input will take place in March. Barker will keep Commission
apprised of the progress.
Hachtman asked if the survey went out to select households the first time around. Barker confirmed that
to be the case and explained that they needed at least 400 responses before releasing the survey
community -wide. A press release will go out to the public in the next week with a link to the site where
they can take the survey. There will also be hardcopy surveys available. Hachtman further asked how
long the survey would be available online. Barker said it will be available for three weeks.
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
January 12, 2022
Page 5 of 7
Mercer Park Aquatic Center Dehumidification Project U dai:c: Barker announced that this project is
complete and that the pool will reopen on Monday, January 17.
Parks and Forestry Division Suoerintendent -- Tyler Baird
Sno' w Removal: Tyler reported that staff dedicates a lot of time for snow removal in the parks, on the
trails, and around downtown. Last year 7.5 miles of snow removal areas, mostly trails, were added to the
routes. He also reported that with the colder temperatures, staff is getting a lot of questions regarding ice
skating opportunities. Staff is currently prepping the pond at City Park for skating. He explained that
there is a process involved to prep including reflooding of the pond, and this process takes time.
'Free Update: Baird reported that approximately 700 trees were planted between Scott Blvd. and
Mackinaw Village. The warmer weather in late fall allowed for tree planting into December. This process
was funded through a combination of CIP funds. The next phase of tree planting will occur in the south
district with the largest number being planted in the Wetherby Park neighborhood. A smaller tree planting
project is planned at the border of Iowa City and Coralville. Baird said that he is often asked why so many
trees are taken down at one time. He explained that winter is the best time to remove trees to have the
least impact on seasonal habitat. Baird stated that REAP grants have been a good funding source with
awarding nearly $500,000 in grants in the last three years.
City Park: Baird reported that the fencing project at the City Park Baseball Fields is near completion.
Hachtman asked for a brief update on the Root for Trees Program. Baird said that Barker and Recreation
staff have helped with that program by receiving applications and sending out the tree vouchers. Baird
pointed out that this program was planned prior to Derecho with the Sustainability Office to provide a
way for home, business, and apartment owners to purchase and plant trees in their yards. He noted that
50% of the tree cost up to $125 is given to those that apply and meet the necessary qualifications. He also
noted that this program will be transitioning to the Sustainable Office soon.
Odinet asked if there was any update regarding the Butler House. He explained that while going through
the staff report during the September Commission Meeting, he saw that the Butler Montgomery House
restoration was listed. He shared with new members that the house is in poor condition and is not in an
accessible location. It is reported to have some historical interest but is not on the historic preservations
National Registry of Historic Places. Seydell Johnson shared that one of the concerns mentioned was that
a new roof that was installed in 2008 may have been paid with Parks and Recreation funds. She indicated
that she has not been able to locate that information. She said that as it stands now, the Historic
Preservation Commission has asked City Council to add this discussion to a future work session. Odinet
said that he recently met with Kevin Boyd, Chairperson for the Historic Preservation Commission. He
asked that Odinet get feedback from the Parks and Recreation Commission and then share their
recommendations with City Council. Seydell Johnson asked if Commission would like this topic to be
included on the February Commission agenda, or if they would rather wait for Council to give some
indication of how they would like to proceed. Odinet said his main concern was that Parks and Recreation
funds were being used for costs incurred for any repairs and renovations to the house. Seydell Johnson
reported that there is nothing in the departments operating budget or the CIP plan that indicates that to be
the case. Morelli asked who owns the building. Seydell Johnson explained that it is a structure that was
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
January 12, 2022
Page 6 of 7
included on the property when the Water Department purchased the land in the late 90's. At that time a
study was done to assess its historic relevance. They learned that it was owned by a family that ran a
ferry. She further noted that since then it has essentially been abandoned and boarded up. From time -to -
time discussion comes up again about what could or should be done with the house.
CHAIRS REPORT:
Hachtman again expressed a warm welcome to the new members of the commission and thanked them for
their commitment.
COMMISSION TIME/SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS:
Serenda asked if there has been any discussion about the use of motorized or electric assist vehicles on
trails and sidewalks if there has been talk of creating speed limits. Seydell Johnson said there may be
some current ordinances that may apply, and that staff will research and report back to Commission.
Wiegand noted that she is excited to be a part of this Commission.
ADJOURNMENT:
Moved by Serenda seconded by Morelli, to adjourn the meeting at 5:54 p.m. Passed 7-0 :Schmidt
and Wills absent.
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
January 12, 2022
Page 7 of 7
PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
ATTENDANCE RECORD
NAME
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
N
..................... _........
N
....... _.......
N
N
N
00
00
e4
N
TERM
j
e i
in
�o
i
ao
o� o
EXPIRES
_. _...
Steve Bird
12/31/21
X
....... __ ---
X
----- ..... _....._
X
.........
X
X
NM
—----..-----
X
--...
X X
X
NM
Missie
12/31/25
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* *
*
*
X
Forbes
Brian
12/31/25
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* *
*
*
X
Morelli
............................
Alex
12/31/24
X
X
X
X
X
NM
_...........
O/E
X X
X
NM
X
Hachtman
Christopher
12/31/24
X
X
X
..........
X
O/E
NM
. ....... .........
X
X X
X
NM
X
Odinet
Boniface
12/31/23
O
O
O
O
O/E
NM
X
X O
O
NM
X
Penandjo
Lemoupa
Ben Russell
12/31/21
X
X
X
X
X
NM
X
X X
X
NM
April
12/31/22
*
*
*
*
X
_..
NM
X
X O
O/E
.....................
NM
O/E
Schmidt
Melissa
12/31/23
X
.....................
X
.
X
.......
X
X
NM
_._.._._._......___
X
X X
X
NM
_ ._..
X
Serenda
._._._.
Angie Smith
_
12/31/21
X
X
....
X
.....
X
O/E
NM
X
X X
X
NM
.........
Brianna
12/31/22
—._....�..._._.
X
X
X
X
X
NM
X
X O/E
OIE
NM
O/E
Wills
...........
Michelle
--- -------
12/31/2
........._.......
*
*
X
Wiegand
KEY: X = Present O = Absent O/E = Absent/Excused
NM = No meeting LQ = No meeting due to lack of quorum
* = Not a member now
ITY
TO: Parks & Recreation Commission
FROM: Juli Seydell Johnson, Director of Parks & Recreation
DATE: March 3, 2022
RE: Montgomery -Butler House, March 9, 2022 Agenda Item
The March 9, 2022 Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting includes an agenda item to review the
history of the Montgomery -Butler House and make a recommendation to the City Council regarding the
future of the structure, located in Water Works Prairie Park.
A memo from Kevin Boyd, Chair of the Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission is included with this
memo. Also included is a City staff report provided to the Historic Preservation Commission in August
2021, a 2001 Feasibility Report completed for the project and recent photos of the structure.
The Montgomery -Butler House is a structure that is owned by the City of Iowa City. It is located on N.
Dubuque Street just south of the Iowa River in Waterworks Prairie Park. The City purchased the land
and home in 1995 to facilitate construction of the Iowa City Water Treatment Plant.
In May 2021, staff from multiple City departments, including Parks and Recreation, Neighborhood and
Development Services, and Public Works, conducted a site visit to the property. The purpose of the site
visit was to evaluate the property and discuss possible ways to re -use the building. Staff identified some
concerns, including the location of the structure, which is away from the main trail and not accessible
via automobile and the fact it is not connected to City water and sewer.
Parks & Recreation staff does not recommend renovating the structure for a recreational purpose. This
recommendation is due to the location and poor condition of the structure. One possible option could
be to remove the structure while preserving a section of the structure to be incorporated into a shelter
and interpretive sign closer to the parking area. There is currently no designated funding for a shelter
project;
The Commission discussed the Montgomery -Butler House during the September 2021 meeting. The
minutes pertaining to this item follow.
Excerpt - September 8, 2022 Parks & Recreation Commission Meeting Minutes
Other projects not currently in the CIP plan include the following:
1. Lower City Park Master Plan
2. Eastside Sports Complex Master Plan
3. Sand Lake Dredging
Wills asked if there are some grant or REAP funds available for water management. Seydell
Johnson said that there are some smaller grants available but nothing to the degree needed.
4. Riverside Festival Stage Improvements: Seydell Johnson noted that due to very little use in 2020,
deterioration occurred faster than anyone had noticed.
5. City Park Tennis Courts
6. Trail bridges throughout the system. Seydell Johnson said that several bridges are deteriorating,
and some will need replaced next year. She pointed out that the bridge is closed at Court Hill to
repair ground beneath and around the bridge. The bridge itself is fine.
7. Iowa River Power Dam Bridge
8. Scott Park — Parking lot improvements
9. Montgomery -Butler House in Waterworks Prairie Park. More discussion on this item noted
below.
Seydell Johnson asked for input from Commission regarding this property. She noted that the Historic
Preservation Commission has some interest in restoring the house. It is not on the national registry of
historic places. The home has been breached many times over the years. The roof was replaced eight or
nine years ago to make it weather tight and to help preserve the house. There has been discussion of
possibly moving the trail head to the area of the house. However, Seydell Johnson noted that it does not
provide a good access point with the parking lot a good distance away. A description of the home is found
in the 2008 Iowa City Historic Preservation Plan and is as follows:
"The house site was acquired by the City in 1995 as part of the property acquisition
for the new municipal water treatment facility. During the environmental review
process for the treatment facility project, the stone house was identified as a historic
site that met the criteria for listing in the National Register. Stabilization measures
to preserve the building were completed as part of an agreement between the City,
the State Historical Society of Iowa, Corps of Engineers, and the National Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation. The City set aside 4.28 acres within the future
Waterworks Park, including the stone house, to be developed as a cultural resource.
The house was "mothballed" in 1998 and a formal nomination for the property to
the National Register was prepared through the HPC in 2001 but not finalized. A
feasibility study to evaluate reuse options for the Montgomery -Butler House was
completed in 2001. A community planning workshop was facilitated by a consultant
and attended by representatives of bicycle, open -space, historic preservation, and
civic organizations as well as City staff. Of the options evaluated, the concept of
reusing the Montgomery -Butler House as a historic site and interpretive center was
determined to be the most feasible. Since submittal of the study, measures to further
stabilize and monitor the property have continued. A paved bicycle access to the site
from the park has been completed. No interpretative measures have been completed
and a non -municipal sponsor or leader has not been identified."
Odinet asked why the City has not torn down the Butler House. Seydell Johnson because of
interest and questions from the Historic Preservation Commission. Wills asked if the City could sell the
house or parcel it off. Seydell Johnson said that wouldn't be possible in its current condition.
Smith asked for more details about what the Historic Preservation Commission says about the house.
Seydell Johnson explained they have discussed ideas of restoring the house and open it up to a nonprofit
group or that it could serve as a concession area for the trail. Odinet said he thought these ideas seem
unreasonable. Seydell. Johnson suggested that perhaps parts of the house could be preserved and
incorporated into a park shelter either on the site or nearby.
Odinet asked if the parks budget paid for the new roof. Seydell Johnson was not sure. He then asked what
the historical significance is of the home. Seydell Johnson will provide additional information at a future
meeting.
Serenda said on one hand she would hate to see it destroyed as it tells a story. She suggested perhaps
adding a sign near the trail directing people to the house. Bird suggested that interpretive signage be
placed near the parking lot. Wills asked if Historic Preservation could reevaluate and see if any updates
make economical or practical sense.
Attachments:
1. May 2021 photos of structure.
2. February 3, 2022 Memo from Kevin Boyd, Chair, Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission
3. August 4, 2021 Memo from Anne Russett, City of Iowa City of Iowa City Senior Planner
4. September 2001 Montgomery -Butler House Feasibility Study Report
Montgomery -Butler Mouse Photos
May, 2021
Iowa City
Historic Preservation Commission
City Hall, 410 F Washingyton Street. Iowa City. ]A. 52240
TO Iowa City Parks and Recreation Commission
From Kevin Boyd, Chair, Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission
RE Montgomery Butler House
Date February 3, 2022
The request: The Historic Preservation Commission has proposed that a working group
Investigate possible reuses of the Montgomery -Butler House that Includes appropriate City staff,
members from both of our commissions, Iowa River Trail, and Waterworks Park users, and
perhaps other interested members of the public. If a majority of the Parks and Recreation
Commission is amenable to the Idea, the Historic Preservation Commission will send a letter to
the City Manager and Council. The letter would ask to support the working group. The goal of
the group would be to explore potential uses and recommend to City leadership a decision of
some kind on this property,
Background: The City acquired this historic asset in the 1990s as part of the land acquisitions
for the water plant site. Shortly after, the City received a grant to moth -ball the property to
preserve it for future use. While it is located in Waterworks Prairie Park, the land surrounding
the water treatment facility at the park is maintained by the Public Works Department,
Previous City leaders made this commitment. The City acquired a historic asset in the late
1990s as part of the land acquisition for the water plant site. The City received a grant to
moth -ball the property for future reuse. As part of the agreement to build the water plant, city
staff agreed to find a use for the building "when funds become available."
The City owns this property and needs to address It. It's been Ignored for too long. One of
the City's strategic plan goals is to "Invest in Public Infrastructure, Facilities and Fiscal
Reserves." Part of this goal Is about addressing unaddressed Issues. This property is one of
them. It's part of the City -owned public infrastructure, which needs to be addressed,
The City has had recent success in adaptive reuse of historic properties. Public Space
One's new home at 225 and 229 N Gilbert Is a great example of the City preserving historic
resources and opening up discussions and ideas from the community about the use for this
historic asset. We've got creative people in this City; we should use their creativity to explore
uses. The working group should invite a community discussion about exploring potential uses
for this historic asset. Additionally, grants are often available for historic property adaptive reuse.
It's the right thing to do during the climate crisis. Another city goal in the strategic plan is
"Demonstrate Leadership in Climate Action." The structure already contains the embodied
Iowa City
1.1storic Preservation Commission
City I lat], 410 F Washington Strect, 10%va Cily. IA. 52240
energy, the energy used to construct the building - Its materials, transport, and assembly. If the
building is demolished because of neglect, that energy Is lost, and we add to the landfill. Let's
explore if there's adaptive reuse to this city -owned resource before it's added to the landfill.
It's part of our shared history. Cultural continuity between generations stitches together our
past and our future. Walter and Elizabeth Butler were a little like the godparents of Iowa City.
When the territorial legislature needed a place to meet in Iowa City, the Butlers built what came
to be known as Butler's Capitol. After the territorial legislature passed racist laws requiring Black
residents to get a bond from white residents, the Butlers secured the bond for the first Black
Iowa City residents. After Walter's death, Elizabeth lived in this house with her second husband,
Martin Montgomery. They operated a ferry to cross the Iowa River on this site. This structure
was likely built between 1856 and 1859. Old-time Iowa City residents may remember the old
Butler Bridge that crossed the Iowa River near this site.
r
�,-,,„4* C1TY OF 1UV�IA CITY
EMORANDUMM
Date: August 4, 2021
To: Historic Preservation Commission
From: Anne Russett, Senior Planner, Neighborhood and Development Services
Re: Montgomery -Butler House
The Montgomery -Butler House is a historic home that is owned by the City of Iowa City. It is
located on N. Dubuque Street just south of the Iowa River in Waterworks Prairie Park. The City
purchased the land and home in 1995 in order to facilitate construction of the Iowa City Water
Treatment Plant.
In 2001, Marlys Svendsen completed a feasibility study that examined options to preserve and
reuse the building [Attachment 1]. The study analyzed the following options:
1. Reuse as a historic site and interpretive center;
2. Iowa River Trail amenity;
3. Iowa City visitor center; and
4. Do nothing.
In May 2020, the Historic Preservation Commission Chair wrote a memo to the full Commission
regarding the Montgomery -Butler House. In the memo the Chair requested City staff to help
form a working group of relevant City departments and citizens to develop a path forward for the
Montgomery -Butler House [Attachment 2].
In May 2021, staff from multiple City departments, including Parks and Recreation,
Neighborhood and Development Services, and Public Work, conducted a site visit to the
property. Photos from the site visit are in Attachment 3. The purpose of the site visit was to
evaluate the property and discuss possible ways to re -use the building. Due to the location of
the home, which is away from the main trail and not accessible via automobile, staff felt there is
little use for the building in its current location. The site is additionally constrained since the
home is not connected to City water and sewer. Staff discussed turning it into an amenity space
for bicycle riders along the Iowa River Trail; however, there were concerns with this idea.
Specifically, staff does not think there is enough bicycle traffic for it to be of interest to a vendor
for operating. There was a suggestion that it may be feasible to include a portion of the house
with interpretive signage as a shelter, art work, or other park amenity if it were re -located near
the trail head adjacent to the parking lot. See Figure 1.
August 4.2021
Page
Figure 1. Aerial of the Montgomery Butler House and Waterworks Park
At the Historic Preservation Commission's August 12' 2021 meeting, the Commission will have
an opportunity to discuss ways to move forward. Due to the OU0be[ of different C'
�
Departments and Commissions invo|ved, their ongoing workloads and existing priorities,
requests from the Historic Preservation Commission may require direction from the City Council.
Attachments:
1. Montgomery -Butler House Feasibility Study Report; September 2OO1
2. HPCChair Memo tothe Commission; April 28'2O2O
3. KAonbnornery- Butler House Photos; May 2021
Preparation of this report would not have been possible without the assistance of
several Iowa City residents whose interest and work on behalf of the Montgomery -
Butler House extends over the past two decades. Marie !Neubauer, a local
photographer, recorded the house and its outbuildings in haunting black and white
images in 1978. About the same time, Colette Pogue, a community volunteer and
local Quester member, turned her curiosity about the house and the Butler family
into a 25-year pursuit of its history.
Susan Licht, an Iowa City architect and member of the Iowa City Historic
Preservation Commission, devoted many volunteer hours to assist in the
preparation of the restoration plan and cost estimates contained in this report.
Richard Carlson, a professional historian and also a member of the Historic
Preservation Commission, prepared the National Register of Historic Places
nomination for the property --an effort that will make the house eligible for
matching restoration grants. Other individuals who made their time available for
personal interviews and to respond to small inquiries are listed on page 81. The
enthusiastic interest shared by everyone contacted for this feasibility study bodes
well for the future of the Montgornery-Butler House — an important Iowa City
fandmark that now belongs to the community.
M. Svendson
Cover Photo Credit: Marie k Neubauer, 1978
9�gPy.
History of /�IR/pertyr......................................... R......................
14
Y.
Assets and Ri abl i.NJ.
R�.�If MonI gontf� u e( House se WIN�OR Site......
IS
D.
�.es
Planning WoewhOp.........I.....................................
28
i.e.
.T.yOBO/i�i�U/.�"MY
Rouse 14ecom9RS6F/ dadans ....................................................... 31
0 "How should the Montgomery -Sutler House be reused?"
Historic Site and interpretive Center..........................................................32
Iowa river Corridor Trail Facility.. . ........................... ................................ 39
VisitorCenter....................................................................................43
CommunityCenter..............................................................................45
o "UVhO should be responsible for managing the property during MlIgM,tionvs
epowgaSpfj
"..........................................................................................^46
• "Do Nothing"........................................................................................EA
. . Restoration storation Plan andBudget................................................. VV
"What should the scope for the restoration work include, how should it be
phased and when can it be completed?"
0. Operations W rikjots ............................................................... 66
® "Once in operation, what Wil it cost to operate the Montgomery -Butler House as
a historic site and interpretive center?"
H. PuncUng S W , Funding Sources andPe O ere...... .............. 68
a "What funding sources for restoration work and operation should be pursued?"
o "Which sponsors or partners should be recruited to assist in completing the
work and raising funds?"
I. Implat".entati n steps ......................go.......... A.... ... .q./.Y........ b.. lY
n "What are the steps the City of Iowa City should take to establish the
Montgomery -Butler Mouse Historic Site and Interpretive Center?"
J. Sources ..................................... i........................1................... 0.81
1
x W endbes................................................................ Y............ 82
ecudve Summary
A. Purpose of Study. To determine how the Montgomery -Butler louse can best
be preserved and reused by the City of Iowa City. Meuse of the house should be
consistent with the three goals established for Waterworks Park in the 1999
Dunbar/Jones Master Plan: protect wellhead and water service infrastructure,
provide public access to Waterworks Park, and preserve and enhance, natural
areas.
S. History of House. The Montgomery -Butler House was constructed in ca.1858
for the family of Elizabeth (Galbreath) Butler Montgomery, widow of Martin
Montgomery, and her Butler children. Because the property is better known for its
later ownership by Butler descendants of Elizabeth and her first husband, Walter
Butler, the house has frequently been referred to as the "Butler House." Similarly,
the former ferry fanding and bridge on the Iowa River historically associated with
the house were known as "Butler's Landing" and "Butler's Bridge."
The Montgomery -Butler House is significant historically for its association with an
important early ferry operation on the Iowa River inaugurated by Martin
Montgomery and continued by the Butler children. The building is also
architecturally significant as an example of a vernacular stone dwelling with Greek
Revival features typical of residential architecture predating the Civil War in Iowa
City and Johnson County.
Members of the Butler family stayed on the site until after the death of Elizabeth
Butler Montgomery in 1888, Thereafter, the house and farm were rented with
tenants growing melons on the fertile river bottomland, raising livestock and
operating a woad lot. In 1944 the Butler descendents sold the property. The
house stood vacant for about two decades before it was acquired by the City of
Iowa City in 1995 as part; of land purchased for the construction of the new Iowa
City Water Treatment Plant.
During the environmental review process required of all federally funded and
licensed projects, the stone house was identified as a historic site that met the
criteria for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Stabilization
measures to preserve the building were taken as part of an agreement between
the City, the State Historical Society of Iowa, Corps of Engineers and the National
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The City has set aside 4.28 acres
within the future Waterworks Park, including the stone house, to be developed as a
cultural resource. The house was mothballed in 1998, and a nomination for the
property to the National Register of Historic Places will be considered later this
year.
C. Assets & UsbiliVes Summary:
A. Location of house is adjacent to county highway & Interstate 80
B. Natural setting adjacent to Iowa River, wooded bluff
C. Good access to Iowa River Corridor Trail system
Q. Waterworks Park parking lot to be built below bluff
B. Restrooms to be developed near Iowa River Corridor Trail, below bluff
F. Proximity to new Waterworks Park
G. Convenient for Iowa City and Johnson County schools
H. Near Iowa City Water Treatment Plant
I. Stabilization of building already completed in 1998 by the City of Iowa City
J. House tells important stories about early Iowa City and Johnson County
K. Building eligible for National Register of Historic Places; nomination scheduled
for consideration in October 2001 by State Nominations Review Committee
Liabilities:
1. Limited parking potential adjacent to house
2. Poor Visibility from Dubuque Street
3. Building is small, rooms are small
4. Difficult to make building meet ABA requirements due to site grades and width
of exterior and interior openings
4
S. Limited potential for adding water and sewer to site due to location adjacent to
Water treatment Runt
B. No historic furnishings available
7. No sponsoring organization at present time
8. No volunteer structure identified
a, No municipal staff readily available for management of Montgomery -Butler
Mouse
10. Rehabilitation costs substantial for active use
A Community planning 10forkshop:
A community planning workshop was held on April 24, 2001 and attended by
approximately 30 representatives of various bicycle, open space, historic
preservation, and civic organizations as well as City staff members.
Participant discussion focused on three questions: a) what are the best use(s) for
Montgomery -Butler Mouse? b.) which organizations should serve as sponsors or
partners to direct the reuse of the Mon%pmery-Butler House? and c.) what
potential funding prospects should be explored to support the reuse of the
Montgomery -Butler House? The workshop concluded with participants ranking the
sugge0dons for building use.
E. Reuse Re"mmendatians:
"'How should the MOM90MWY-Suder House bs rou+i W?"
he meri o r to i t s-were evaluated including use as Iq higtgricsite
art_ InteroMbN center. a trail head facil' fo a Iowa Riv@LggWlo_r IMWQ,,an
Iowa Gfty1ftr,center nd a comrhunft ggpft. A fifth option of doing nothing
was also considered. Input from community planning sessions in 1995 and earlier
this year was carefully reviewed as it related to each of the uses. The overall
preference of participants was for reuse of the property as a historic site with
interpretive programs offered to the public. Participants also showed an interest in
having the Montgomery -Butler House serve as a trail amenity.
The requirements of each use were then evaluated, and the limitations of the
building and/or site to sustain each use were analyzed. The goals already
established for the development of Waterworks Park were assessed, especially the
need to protect wellhead and water service infrastructure. And finally, the overall
cost and operational feasibility were evaluated.
Of the four reuse ideas considered, the co t of reusino the Montoomery B tiler
H%gse.as -jn.hi9Qf1O sftg and.intergrefive center was deterMinedto b the os
sibl . The importance of the house historically and architecturally provides a
compelling story about the early decades of Iowa City and Johnson County. The
house and site provide an opportunity to relate the story of an early ferry operation
and important Over crossing as part of the larger story of the geological history of
the Iowa River Valley. Together with the interpretive opportunities planned for
Waterworks Park and the new Iowa City Water Treatment Plant, the Montgomery -
Butler House as the potential to serve as an important historic site within Iowa City
and along the Interstate-80 corridor. The option of using a local historical
organization to provide long-term management of the site enhances the feasibility
of this option.
And finally, a separate option for "doing nothing" with the Montgomery -Butler
House was evaluated. As a park of this approach, the general maintenance
requirements for the site and the liabilities associated with having a minimally
secured building within a new city park were assessed.
'Who should be responsible for the Montgomery -Buller Hattse during
nrat on?
Ownership of the house by the Cly gLfjMM,,Cjtv makes a the most likely candidpLe
,f9 r legigg Jbpj conscientious restoration work thg rriqgg §Rppific. standardstandardsIs r
hisApric. buildin is om et d in the a riy §Wg-es of develoginghe house a a
h1g2ric site. City of lows City bidding procedures also should be observed for
construction contracts. For subsequent phases of work, it is recommended that
6
the situation be reassessed, and if warranted, responsibility reassigned to the
operator/manager of the house. Several City departments have the experience
and capacity to oversee and coordinate the restoration work. The stabilization
work completed in 1998 was coordinated by the planning and Community
(Development Department. The Park and Recreation Department maintains
dozens of structures and facilities throughout the city. An internal decision will
need to be made by the City Council based on departmental staffing capacity.
"'Now and by whom should the Mon orn -Buffer House be managed
during o e :Von7
Ownership does not obligate the City of Iowa City to be the primary operator.
Based on the successful experience of other historic sites in Iowa and around the
country, it Is recommended that an op, ra ion wntract the house as a history
aft. and i to tive ce to e n t! local his ! a i such
as the Johnson County Historical Society. Initial oversight would be provided by a
Montgomery-Outler House Task Force appointed by the City Council, Once the
contract is negotiated, this task force or another similar group, would provide
operational oversight on behatf of the City of Iowa City. Details regarding grounds
maintenance, tour hours, volunteer recruitment, special event planning, and
scheduling would be negotiated in the contract.
F. Restoration Plan and Budget ;
`Wham should the scope ;(tar the restoration work Include, how should it be
phased sod Wherr should N be completed?"
The scope of restoration work for use of the M 1gomerv-B-00S.House as an
_hls_todc sit @ad i t re ive er shgMid.be ivid d Into fpMr, 12hases. �1'he first
hale wouId.IncIude,jta[L-_uR m sure.sggsigagd to " trogMgo thg,,pjjqin
pretlming!y wgy. No exterior work would be completed except for security
measures and development of an access road, small parking lot and trail spur
7
included in a currently approved TEA-21 grant for the development of a trailhead at
the site.
Th@ gegond phase —would include the mi i al amou t of exter or work n cessa t
returrr theSuitdiria' early aearance. In addition, interpretive markers and
accessible paths would be installed at specific vantage points designed to give
visitors the story of the house, the ferry, the farmstead, and the river valley's
geology.
The third phgge, of work wQVjd OMin ftr the ho had been in ra `o for
s v ral ygors a d Dublic support for itsjntqUjmft mislion had been.
demopstrated. Success of the site would be measured by its use as a local history
site for area school children and by visitor attendance during a limited schedule of
guided tours. The second phase would continue exterior restoration work
necessary for the long-term preservation and interpretation of the house and begin
interior work. An effort should be made to incorporate the restoration process into
the visitor experience beginning with the archeological work and continuing
through each element of restoration.
The urt and I ha a of work I e undertaken nl the houseis
well t li hod s off n our and.and.ft poterifial for d v lgUjng a c I ecti
interior fgWjshin s r a�,lis#c. After completion of this phase, portions of the interior
of the house would be open demonstrating the way of life of early rural families in
Johnson County. An extended schedule of hours of operation would be provided
using paid staff and volunteers. The development of quality heritage tourism sites
has the potential to draw visitors to the community and provide a reason for them
to linger. Coordinating operation of the Montgomery -Butler Mouse with other local
historical attractions and museums will enhance the visitor experience.
Restoration of the Montgomery -Butler Mouse, began with stabilization measures
completed in 1998 totaling approximately $45,723, The start-up work (Phase 1)
recommended to establish the house as a historic site with links to Waterworks
Park and the Iowa River Corridor Trail will cost an estimated $47,000 of which
$40,000 is already available in a TEA-21 Grant for the establishment of trailhead
improvements. Subsequent phases of work designed to provide restoration of the
of the building and expand the interpretation of the house by providing interior
access will cast an estimated $87,000 (Phase 11), $89,000 (Phase 111) and
$119,600 (Phase IV) respectively in today's dollars. The total cost of the remaining
four phases of restoration work in today's dollars will be an estimated $342,600. A
table itemizing these budget items by phase is contained on pages 56 & 67.
G. Operations Budget
'"Once fn operagon, what will It cost to operate the Montgomery -Ruder Mouse
as a historic sft and interpra-ays+ center?"'
—Oppratio.n of a Mont e- er Ho se stigUld-be accolnplished thrpyugh a
comb" a 1g f v i WEa sic a e nt t ct ' h e' er
an existingor w ngi forrofit !Qrniztion. To get the site operational in a
preliminary fashion, a start-up budget of $7,000 per year is recommended to cover
the costs of a monitored security'system and minimal maintenance of the site.
Once a management contract is in place, an annual operations budget in the range
of $17,300 - 40,000 should cover the costs of the contract, utility expenses,
grounds maintenance, a security system, publication of promotional materials and
general upkeep.
Opembon of the interpretive center mission for the house by a not -for -profit
organization Is recommended. Their work would include developing a tour
program, completing outreach to local schools and civic groups, handling
promotion of the property, scheduling tours for school groups and adult visitor
groups, and coordinating special events. 8ecaiuse of the nature of the site, it is not
recommended that the property be kept accessible during the winter months.
instead, an eight -month operation schedule extending from late March through
9
October is recommended. Preliminary discussions with the Johnson County
Historical Society indicates an interest by their organization in discussing the
possibility of entering into a management contract for the Montgomery -Butler
House.
H. Funding .strategy, Funding Sources and Partners
"What funding sources for restoration work and operation should be
pursued'?"
Funding for restoration of the Montgomery -Butler House and the creation of the
infrastructure necessary to operate the house as a historic site and interpretive
center should be , rawn from a combination of sources including government
rants p vase foundations or grant prograrnga individual and corporate
co tribu''orS. sgecial +events and the City of Iowa City. There is abundant
precedence in Iowa for municipal ownership and operation of historic buildings
including several examples of house museums. As the building's owner, the City
of Iowa City will need to continue to take a leadership position in funding the
building's restoration and management. By dividing the restoration into three
phases, funding can be achieved at a moderate pace and partners recruited for the
project.
Since the property is and will continue to be publicly owned, it is recommended
that the fiirst phase of restoration work be undertaken using a mix of municipal
funds and grants. Subsequent restoration'should be accomplished with a mix of
grants, individual contributions and corporate gifts. It is recommended that as the
operation of the site matures, consideration be given to a community -wide capital
fund drive. Establishment of an endowment to underwrite the operations budget
should also be considered. in order to generate sufficient income to fund the
Montgomery -Butler House's entire operating budget of $17,000 to 38,000 annually,
an endowment fund of approximately $425,000 to $950,000 would be needed.
Continued investment In the properly by the City of Iowa City is consistent withh
10
investments made by other Iowa municipalities and a strategy that will strengthen
the amenities of Waterworks Park and the Iowa Diver Corridor Trail.
"'Which sponsors or partners should be recruited to assist in completing the
work and raising rura+ds7"
Potential sponsors or partners should be recruited 1br various aspects of the
Montgomery -Butler House project based on their shared interest. For example,
Friends of Historic Preservation's organizational mission includes the preservation
of historic buildings while the Johnson County Historical Society focuses on
museum and education programs. Both organizations expressed a willingness to
assist in developing the Montgomery -Butler House. Leaders of local Quester
chapters, organizations interested in antiques and historic interiors, expressed a
willingness to explore potential funding opportunities through their organizations. A
representative of the University of Iowa Identified a oonnection through the Iowa
River while leaders of other museums in the community expressed an interest in
coordinating programs once the Montgomery-13utier House is operating as a
historic site. There was strong evidence offered during the feasibility study
process of a willingness to collaborate in order to make the house a successful
historic site.
L Implementation Stops:
,10at are Me stops the City of /oats Chy should take to sagoblish the
Montgomery -Butler louse Mstorio She sndl iideip s Center?"
I . City Council adopts the feasibility study report recommendation that the
Montgomery-8der House be reused as a historic site and interpretive center.
2. City Council establishes a Montgomery -Butler House Task Force and names its
members.
3. City Counoll assigns responsibility for staffing the Task Force to representatives
of the Planning and Community Development Department, Parks and
Recreation Department and !Hater Tmtrnervt plant.
II
4. Under the direction of the Montgomery -butler House Task Force, a concise
written statement should be prepared outlining the plan for reusing the house,
Presentations should be made to community groups about the plan and
recruitment of a volunteer support network should begin.
5. The first phase of start-up measures including preliminary security steps,
construction of an improved access road and trail spur, and installation of
temporary interpretive signs should be completed, These measures would also
include the installation of overhead electrical service, the addition of a
telephone line to the property, and the installation of a security system to
monitor access to the house.
6. The house and site should be readied for a public open house and private tours
for prospective donors and volunteer groups.
7. A funding plan should be prepared for the first phase of work that includes a
major leadership commitment from the City of Iowa City. Grant requests and
foundation requests should be prepared,
8. Once funding has been established to initiate construction, continued efforts
should be made to give restoration of the house a higher profile in the
community.
A. A management contract should be drafted for operation of the Montgomery -
Butler House once it is operational. This step could be introduced at an earlier
point if responsibility for coordinating promotional activities and volunteer
recruitment is part of the contract. The contract fee will initially be an expense
of the City of Iowa City.
10. Once the second phase of restoration of the house is well underway, the public
should be introduced to the Montgomery -Butler House through one or more
special events.
11. Coordination of the interpretive program at the Montgomery -Butler House with
nature programs and tours at Waterworks park and the new Water Treatment
Plant should be encouraged. Collaboration with other visitor attractions in the
area will be iimportant to the house's success. They include historic sites {Old
Capitol, Plum grove, Heritage Museum of Johnson County and the Herbert
12
Hoover Birthplace), museums (Museum of Natural History, university of Iowa
Hospitals and Clinics Medical Museum, and University of Iowa Art Museum),
and special attractions (Carver Hawkeye Arena, Hawkeye Hail of Fame and
Visitor Center, Lake MacBride Raptor Center, Hancher Auditorium, and the
Devonian Fossil Gorge).
12.Once operations are firmly established, fundraising from various sources far the
third and fourth phases of work should commend;. Consideration should be
given to a capital fund drive in the community designed to see restoration
completed for the house's 1S& anniversary in 2008. Timing of the fund drive
so as not to oonflict with other fundraising efforts in the community will be
critical to its success,
13. An endowment fund should be established to support all or a portion of the
house's ongoing operation as a historic site.
13
In the early 1990s the City of Iowa City began planning efforts for the now Iowa
City Water Treatment Plant to be located north of Interstate 80 along North
Dubuque Street. An old stone farmhouse and the remains of several out buildings
were among the buildings identified on the parcels to be acquired. An historical
survey of the site eventually identified the building as an 1880s-era building
associated with an early ferry operation on the Iowa River and the lives of various
members of the Montgomery and Butler families, Johnson County pioneers. In
1996 this historic property - the Montgomery -Butler House - was purchased by the
City of Iowa City as a part of a larger parcel to support the operations of the new
Iowa City Water "Treatment Plant. The house was stabilized in 1998 pending
decision making for its rouse.
This purpose of this feasibility study Is to determine how the Montgomery -Butler
House can best be preserved and reused by the City of Iowa City, Marlys
5vendsen, a historic preservation consultant with the firm S'vendsen Tyler, Inc. was
retained earlier this year to assist in developing a reuse plan for the building. Work
on the plan has included an analysis of the assets and limitations of the
Montgomery -Sutler House site as they relate to its rouse. A community planning
workshop was attended by historic preservationists, bicyclists, educators,
naturalists, civic leaders, municipal workers and concerned citizens to assist in
finding the best combination of uses for the Montgomery -Sutler House.
Interviews were conducted with City staff various experts to follow up on ideas
suggested. Based on the results of the planning workshop, interviews and other
research a series of recommendations were developed for the property and
presented to City Malf members for review,
During the nurse of'the project, members of the Iowa City Historic Preservation
Commission provided pro bona professional assistance. Susan Licht, AiA served
14
as architectural consultant, preparing cost estimates for various elements of the
building's restoration and overall assistance in identifying reuse options. In order
to make the building eligible for a range of state and national grant programs,
Richard Carlson prepared a National Register of Historic Places nomination.
Unlike many feasibility studies prepared for historic buildings, the findings and
recommendations of this study have been designed for implementation over a
period of years rather than months. The conservative nature of such a plan has
the advantage of spreading the cost over several years and taking the advantage
of multiple grant opportunities. It also provides an opportunity to build community
interest and to fine-tune the house's reuse plant before the most costly capital and
operational aspects are implemented.
The best reuse plan begins with understanding the history of a property to the
fullest extent possible. On behalf of the City of Iowa City, historic studies were
completed by Jan Dash, Tall Crass Historians, L.C. in 1996 and archeological
investigations were undertaken by David W. Benn and Robert Vogel, Bear Creek
Archeology, Inc. in 1996. Material uncovered in their research combined with work
completed by Richard Carlson, a historian and member of the Iowa City Historic
Preservation Commission, reveal the story of an important pioneer family in
Johnson County. The historical summary that follows was taken from published
reports by Tall Grass Historians and Bear Creek Archeology as well as the draft
National Register of Historic Places nomination prepared by Carlson that is
pending before the State Historical Society of Iowa. A complete copy of Carlson's
draft nomination appears in Appendix II.
The Montgomery -Butler Douse was constructed in ca.1668 for the family of
Elizabeth (Galbreath) Butler Montgomery and her Outler children. When acquired
by the City of Iowa City In 1995, it was part of a farm that included the bluff top site
15
of the house as well as alluvial bottomland to the west. The Iowa River flows from
east to west past the house before bending south about a half mile Viest of the
house. In addition -to the house, the property includes a partially collapsed double
corncrib dating from the first half of the twentieth century and several stone or
concrete foundations of former outbuildings built between the mid -nineteenth
century and the mid -twentieth century.
The site also contains a deeply rutted section of roadbed that formerly extended
west from the present route of Dubuque Street, past the house and outbuildings,
and down to a ford on the Iowa River. This "relic road" appears on a General Land
Office map surveyed between 1839 and 1841, predating construction of Old
Capitol by at least fire years.
Carlson writes that the land on which the house stands Was first sold by the federal
government to a private owner in 1844 and four years later Alphonso B. Newcomb
and .lames P. Miller built a steam sawmill on the site near the Iowa Fiver. This
two -acre mill site was sold in 1850 to Martin M. Montgomery, the owner of a
sawmill on the west bank of the Iowa River in what is now Goralviile, approximately
two miles downstream from the Montgomery Butler House.
The same year Montgomery married Elizabeth (Galbreath) Butler, widow of Walter
Butler — Iowa City pioneer and namesake of the young capital city's famous "Butler
Capitol. The combined Montgomery and Butler household included several of
Elizabeth's six Butler children. In 1853, Martin Montgomery purchased 14.24
acres adjacent to the mill site and moved his family to temporary quarters
described by Elizabeth's son Martin Van Buren Butler as "a board shanty in the
timber north of Iowa City."' Martin Montgomery died in 1855 before the stone
house was built. Before his death, Martin Montgomery had operated a harry
service across the Iowa River.
' Esther Stratton, N An Old SettWo Story" (1923), p. 2. Located in the collectidn labeled
SHSL MS 22, in the State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City.
16
Earliest photograph of the Montgomery -Butler House shows twin brothers Glen and Guy
Stevens sitting on the south parch In the nrld4890s. Photo courtesy of Colette Pogue.
Scanty ferry records make dating of the Montgomery -Butler House difficult.
However, Carlson's research suggests that changes in valuations of the property
made in 1856 and 1859 were an indication that the house appeared during this
period a The Greek revival elements on the house are consistent with a
construction date between the 1840s and the 1860s. The upstairs was possibly
completed or remodeled in the 1866s. Elizabeth and her children continued to live
on the site until at least the time of Elizabeth Montgomery's death in 1888.
2 In the draft Nationai Register of Historic Places nomination prepared in May 2001, Richard Carlson
writes the following: *In 1856, the land was valued at $1$0, the some price at which Martin Montgomery
purchased it in 1853, 0y 1850, the land was valued at $800, suggesting that the stone house was built by
then. later consus records value the land at least $1,000. Although the house appears to have been built
between IBM and 1859, additional work on the upstairs may have been dome during the 1800s. At the time
the house was mothballed in 1908, an account gook of one of the early occupants of the house, Thomas
Butler, was found behind the lath in the upstairs hall. Although most of the entries in this book date to the
1850s, a few smudged pencil notations appear to date to 18M or 1863. while this may Indicate Dud the house
was not completed until the mid-1800s, It is also possible that the book was sealed in the wall during a later
remodeling of the upstairs p
17
Because the property Is better known for its later ownership by the Butler
descendants of Walter and Elizabeth Butler, the house has frequently been
referred to as the Butler House, Similarly, the former landing and bridge on the
Iowa River historically associated with the house were known as Butler's handing
and Butlers Bridge. Although Martin Montgomery's sawmill was dismantled
around 1857 or 1858, the ferry service he Inaugurated was continued by the Butler
children for several decades. John W. Butler and his wife Elizabeth stayed on the
site the longest, living there until after the death of Elizabeth Montgomery in 1888.
South side of Montgomery -Butler House taken In late 1060s. Photo courtesy of
Colette (Pogue.
The farm continued to be owned by members of the Butler family until 1944. The
house and land were rented to various families. Brothers Glen and Guy Stevens
grew melons In the bottoland, chopped and sold wood, and raised hogs. The
earliest photographs of the house appear below showing the twin brothers on the
south porch in the 1890s. The property continued to be operated as a farm until
the 1970s. Iowa City photographer Marie Neubauer produced the best
photographic regard of the house and outbuildings later in the decade. With the
exception of the double crib, now partially collapsed, none of the outbuildings on
the property survive.
is
The property stood vacant for about two decades before it was acquired by the
City of Iowa City in the 1990s as part of land purchased for the construction of a
new Iowa City Water Treatment Plant. During the environmental review process
required of all federally funded and licensed projects, the stone house was
identified as a historic site that met the criteria for listing in the National Register of
Historic Places. Stabilization measures to preserve the building were
recommended by the State Historical Society of Iowa as part of an agreement
between the City, State, Corps of Engineers and National Advisory Council can
Historic Preservation. The city has set aside: 4.28 acres within the future
Waterworks Park, including the stone house, to be developed as a cultural
resource. The house was mothballed in 1998.
Montgomery-Outler Howe, April 2001. Photo Credit: Marlys A. Svendsen
The Montgomery -Sutler House is a historic property with a unique combination of
assets and liabilities attributable to its location, municipal ownership, history and
building attributes. Some attributes add to its usefulness while others limit the
flexibility of the property.
19
The'Montgomery Butier House is located on a four -acre parcel of ground situated
immediately adjacent to North Dubuque Street approximately a half mile north of
Interchange 244 on Interstate 80. Traffic counts along the east and west bound
lanes of Interstate 80 in the vicinity of Interchange 244 (Dubuque Street) show
approximately 40,000 and 50,000 vehicles per day. Approximately 6, 600 vehicles
travel the north and south bound lanes of Dubuque Street north of Interstate 80
while approximately 19,500 vehicles per day use the north and south bound lanes
of Dubuque Street south of the interstate. The high -volume traffic counts along
Interstate 80 indicate that the house has convenient access to. both local and
regional travelers. Uses that benefit from ready access to such visitors and/or
consumers include certain types of visitor attractions such as information or
welcome centers, historic sites, parks, trails or other service sites for travelers.
The setting of the Montgomery -Butler House is on an upland bluff overlooking the
Iowa River valley approximately 70 feet above sea level. From this site, the
geological history of the Iowa River Is revealed including the story of how the valley
was formed by glacial melt carving right-angled bends through fracture traces of
bedrock over a half -million years and the subsequent development of the alluvial
plain north and west of the house. According to Dr. Jean C. Prior, research
geologist with the Geological Survey Bureau of the Iowa Department of Natural
Resources, the physical setting of the house provides considerable potential for
interpreting geological resources. The potential for interpreting this aspect of the
house and its location are discussed in Appendix 4.
The area surrounding the Montgomery Butler House is part of one of three existing
wooded areas identified in the 'Iowa City Water Works Park Master Plan"
developed by Dunbar/Jones Partnership In 1999. The diverse plant stock of the
area represents a blend of native species and cultivated plants introduced during
the more than 100 years that the house and farmstead were occupied. Both native
and introduced plant materials are assets of the Montgomery -Butler House site for
20
Montgomery-1300 House Site, Map: "lown CRY W04 Iowa 410914FS-TF-UW U.S,
Geological survey,19'94
interpretive and natural landscaping purposes. The Dunbar/Jones plan identified
such resources as suitable for inclusion in an environmental education program to
be developed for the Waterworks Park.
The Montgomery -Butler House is located approximately 400 feet south of the
system of service roads/recreation trails recently built within the Iowa City Water
Treatment Plant and Waterworks Park. A trail section in this area will in turn serve
as a designated link of the Iowa Fiver Corridor Trail system when the Waterworks
21
Park opens. Currently the Iowa River Corridor'Trail has approximately 1,500 users
per day in the sections close to the University of Iowa campus and about 300 users
per day in sections off campus. The clustering of visitor assets near recreational
trails is a well -established practice for drawing visitors. Trail spurs designed to link
historic attractions, public rest rooms, picnic areas, natural vistas or other service
facilities for trail users, enhance the trail's attraction. The strategy also works in
reverse.
Current plans for the Waterworks Park call for construction of a parking lot with
space for approximately 30 cars and a drop-off/parking area for school buses. The
parking lot site Is below the bluff, north of the Montgomery -Butler Douse and will
have convenient access to Dubuque Street. Plans also call for the development of
publio restrooms near the Iowa River Corridor Trail, below bluff. The close
proximity of the parking lot and restrooms (approximately 400 feet) to the
Montgomery -Butler House has the potential for meeting some of the needs of the
house depending on the reuse option selected.
The Montgomery -Butler House is located approximately one-third of a mile north of
the new Water Treatment Plant site. Once this facility opens in 2003 it is likely to
be a magnet for regional and local visitors. The main building within the Water
Treatment Plant campus includes a meeting room with a capacity for 80 people. In
addition, it is likely that tours of the new Iowa City Water Treatment Plant -A the
largest single capital improvement in Iowa CKYs history -- will drawn a substantial
number of visitors. Several uses of the Montgomery -Butler House would benefit
from shared access to visitors, especially students from Iowa City and Johnson
County schools. The presence of a parking lot capable of handling school buses
just 400 feet from the Monttgornery-Butler Mouse has the potential to encourage
school trips to the site.
Other assets of the Montgomery -Butler House relate to its municipal ownership
and history. The City of Iowa City has owned the house since 1996. Extensive
Pa
stabilization work was completed on the building in 1998 by the City of Iowa City
including roof repairs, internal structural measures, and closure of all openings to
limit access. Since the work was completed the building has remained relatively
secure with no damage occurring due to moisture penetration. Because the
stabilization measures were planned In anticipation of being in place for some time,
reuse of the Montgomtery-Butler House can be undertaken with deliberate, careful
planning.
The history of the Montgomery -Butler House has the capacity to relate a number of
important stories about early Iowa City and Johnson County pioneers. It is a good
example of the type of simple, sturdy stone buildings that were built by the earliest
settlers in the area. They used readily available materials, fashioning them into
vernacular building forms that they brought with them. The house was construed
In ca. 1858 by members of the Montgomery and Butler family on a site adjacent to
a ferry crossing along the Iowa Diver that also contained a saw mill operation.
Remnants of the wagon road employed by ferry users are still visible on the south
edge of the property. The story of the Montgomery and Butler family, the operaition
of the ferry and saw mill, and the early agricultural history of settlers in rural
Johnson County are associated with this site.
The house and site have been determined eligible for the listing in the National
Register of Histodo Places and a formal nomination to the Register is scheduled
for consideration in October 2001 by State Nominations Review Committee. Once
listed, greater public attention will be focused on the house and site. The property
will also became eligible for several state and federal grant programs to support its
restoration, Designation will also be a key factor in winning public support and
potential contributions.
The Montgomery�Butler House also has liabilities or limitations that will affect its
reuse. Access to the immediate house site is currently made using a short and
steep unpaved road. Massing traffic, though not constant, is steady, making
23
access onto and from Dubuque Street difficult. Once at the house site, there is
limited capacity for the development of parking spaces without disturbing important
site features such as the foundation ruins of outbuildings and the "relic road," the
original road used by wagons and carts accessing the ferry landing.
The Montgomery -Butler House itself is relatively small. The main house has three
floors with a center hall plan. A one-story simmer kitchen is attached at one end.
The interior is divided into two rooms on the basement level with three rooms on
the first floor, and three rooms and two small storage rooms on the second floor.
Narrow stairs connect the three levels. The rooms have modest ceiling heights
and range in size from 12 feet by 23 feet (basement kitchen) to 14 feet by 15 feet
(first floor parlor) to 14 feet by 11 feet (small bedroom, second floor). The interior
passage openings are narrow, measuring 23 to 30 Inches, As a result, the house
does not have the capacity to house large groups of people or provide for uses that
require free internal circulation.
Providing handicapped access to the interior of the building will be difficult, though
not irnposelble. Ramping options using either the south or north doors will
significantly detract from the building's historic character. The better option will be
to develop an access through a chair lift at the west end of the summer kitchen.
The narrow width of Interior openings and the stairs to the second floor will
preclude providing wheel chair mess to much of the house,
The Montgomery -Butler House served as a rural residence until the early 1970s.
The house had limited electrical service, a private well with minimal plumbing, and
no sewer service. Provision of basic electrical service will be possible but
providing sewer ,and water service will be more difficult because of proximity to the
new Water Treatment Plant and its source wells. The cost of providing new utilities
to the site will be considerable.
24
Basement Plan, Montgomery -Sutler House, drawing prepared by Susan Licht, AIA and John
Shaw, AIA, 1996
-.-- — � —
i!
II11 U fl
II
!! II II II
25
First Floor Plan, M. ontgornery4gutler Hausa, drawing prepared by Susan Licht, AK and John
Shaw, AIA,1996
1 IR5 1
1f4
26
Second Floor Plan, Montgomery-Butlor Houso, drawing prepared by Susan Licht, AIA, and
John Shaw, AIA,1096
r
27
As noted above, stabilization measures were completed for the Montgomery -Butler
House in 1998. Since the building had been vacant for nearly 25 years prior to that
time, considerable deterioration occurred. Any plan for active reuse of major
portions of the house will need to carefully consider the costs associated with
restoration, as these are likely to be considerable.
At the present time, there is no sponsoring private or not -for -profit organization
associated with the house. Interest has been shown by several local groups with
some expressing a willingness to be a partner in its development. No existing
organization has volunteered to lead the effort, however. As a result, no volunteer
or fundraising structure is readily In place to guide the building's restoration.
One of the strengths of the Montgomery -(Butler Mouse Is also one of its
weaknesses. Although the City of Iowa City owns it, responsibility for the house is
spread across several departments. Acquisition of the house was Incidental to the
development of the now Water Treatment Plant, not a deliberate decision to
develop a historic site, As a result, one of the key outcomes of the current
planning process will need to be a determination of management structure for the
house and an appropriate staff complement.
Sunirnary of Assam:
H. Location of house is adjacent to cpunty highways & Interstate 80
I. Natural setting adjacent to Iowa River, wooded bluff
J. good access to Iowa River Corridor Trail system
K. Waterworks Park parking lot below bluff
L. Restrooms to be developed near Iowa River Corridor `frail, below bluff
M. ProArrnity to new Waterworks Park
N. Convenient for Iowa City and Johnson County schools
0. Near Water Treatment plant visitor site
P. Stabilization of building completed in 1998 by the City of Iowa City
0. House tells important stories about early Iowa City and Johnson County
R. Building eligible for National Register of Historic Places; nomination scheduled for
consideration in October 2001 by State Nominations Review Committee
28
Sum►nary Qf LlabliMes:
1. Limited parking potential adjacent to house
2. Poor Visibility from Dubuque Street
3. Building is small, rooms ere small
4. Difficult to make building meet ADA requirements, grade and width of exterior and Interior
openings
8. Limited potential for adding water and sewer to site due to location adjacent to Water
Treatment Plant
8. No historic fumishings available
7. No sponsoring organization at present time
8. No volunteer structure identified
9. No municipal staff readily available for operation of Montgomery -Butler House
10. Rehabilitation costs substantial for active use
On April 24, 2001, a community planning workshop was held at the Iowa City Civic
Center to discuss opportunities for reusing the Montgomery -Butler House.
Invitations were sent to 50 individuals and over 30 attended the two-hour meeting.
The invitation list for workshop participants and a roster of those who were able to
attend is included in Appendix A.
Marlys 5vendsen, planning consultant for the feasibility study, facilitated the
workshop. $vendsen shared information about the background of the
Montgomery -Butler Mouse including both its recent ownership by the City of Iowa
City and its nearly ISO year old history as an Iowa River ferry landing and saw mill
site.
Three City staff members gave updates and status reports. Ed Moreno, Public
Works Department, discussed the status of the Iowa City Water Treatment Plant.
John Yapp, Planning & Community Development provided an update on the
29
construction of the Iowa River Corridor Trail and'plans for its future expansion.
Terry Trueblood, Parks and Recreation Department, reviewed the design plan and
construction schedule for the Waterworks Park.
A brief overview of the assets and liabilities of the Montgomery -Butler House and
Site was shared by avendsen. Then participants were asked to join in a group
discussion focused on three questions: a) what are the best use(s) for
Montgomery -Butler House? b.) which organizations should serve as sponsors or
partners to direct the reuse of the Montgomery -Butler House? and c.) what
potential funding prospects should be explored to support the reuse of the
Montgomery -Butler House?
The workshop concluded with participants ranking the suggestions -for building use
offered during the group discussions. Each individual was givers three votes with a
value of 3 points for the highest ranking, 2 points for the second choice and 1 point
for the third choice. Values were totaled and the results appear below with ideas
listed In descending ranking with the most highly ranked suggestions receiving the
most points. Suggestions for potential sponsors and funding sources were not
ranked. After the workshop concluded, a sunset tour of the Montgomery -Butler
House was conducted for Interested participants.
13-UJlding. Us"u RO-shoos
0 House is restored as a historic site with furnishings and guided interpretation 98
0 House becomes part of a wayside stop for trail users equipped with selected amenities
such as bicycle racks and water but no vending machines ip
0 House is used as an active educational center rather than passive use
P House is used as a living history site, hosting annual reenactments s
o House is used to highlight the history of the Iowa Fiver, to tell the story of the
beginnings of Iowa Oity and Johnson County . g
o House and site are used as an example of a historic building intercxmnected closely
with the natural setting and historic use of the entire site e
310
O Restoration of the house is staged
0
+ House is used as an example of a historic building with minimal interior restoration,
exterior preserved including window openings 3
4 House is used as a waterworks museum
3
o House is used to tell the story of the building's architecture, how it was built 3
o Picnic site
2
* House is preserved as an example of a historic building, passive use 2
* House is used to highlight the history of the Butler Lending ferry operation 2
House is used as a historic site with original views of the property interpreted 0
* House is used to tell the story of where pioneers got their water 0
e House site should be restored to an earlier era with invasive plants removed but
homestead plantings restored 0
Interpret horticulture of site
0
House should have exterior preserved and Interior rehabilitated for use as a residence
for rental use or as housing for a Water Treatment Plant employee 0
w Access to the house Is developed from the interior of the Waterworks bark and the
North Dubuque Street access Is cut off 0
Potential p lljagM gr Soonsnrs- for the 1,1K1na1s Ngw.Usep
Johnson County Historical Society
Iowa City water Division
a Iowa City Park and Recreation as part of a Regional Park
Friends of Historic Preservation
Local Quester Groups — five local chapters
NOA the City of Iowa City
Potent1q, Sou „es of Fgndiasr
4, Annual grants up to $5,000 from Questers at the local, state or national levels
TEA-21 grants through the U.S. Department of Transportation
Historic Site preservation Grant through State Historical Society of Iowa, minimum
$40,000
» Historic Resource Development program grants through State Historical Society of Iowa
Soil and Wafter Conservation District grants for site work
VISTA workers for donated tabor pgects
31
4 Friends of Historic Preservation to provide in -kind match through labor, donated
materials, or hosting a special event
O University of Iowa, connecting site to the Iowa River
a Department of Natural Resourbes/LIS Geological Survey
0 Individuals with a family link to the house
"How should the ffontgorrrery Aluder House be rased?„
This was the first and moot Important question to be answered by this feasibility
study. In the course of answering this question, others arose related to the scope
for the restoration work, appropriate phasing, a schedule for completion, funding
sources for restoration work, sponsors or partners for completing the worts and
raising funds, and a management structure suitable for operating the site.
The uses evaluated during this feasibility study were based on three sources: the
suggestions of participants at the community planning workshop, the ideas of City
staff members and the experience and research of the planning consultant. From
the onset, it Was assumed that the City of Iowa City would retain ownership of the
property and that the site and/or house would have some level of public access.
Uses in conflict with these requirements such as use as a park caretaker's
residence or rental housing, were eliminated from consideration.
After a thorough review of the house's assets and liabilities, four uses were
evaluated for this feasibility study. Each use incorporates some type or level of
public use. The restriction posed by location adjacent to the new Iowa City Wager
Treatment Plant were evaluated in each instance. The overall merits of each of
the potential uses are discussed below with the uses appearing in order of
preference. They include use as: an historic site and interpretive enter, a trail
head facility for the Iowa River Corridor Trail, an Iowa City visitor center and a
community center. Collaborative elements of the various Lases are discussed
where appropriate.
32
Historic Site and fnterpr oWe Center
Reuse of the Montgomery -Butler House as a historic site and interpretive center
first surfaced during a joint planning session of the Iowa City Historic Preservation
Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission and Riverfront and Natural Areas
Commission in 1996. Earlier this year during the community planning workshop
held In conjunction with this feasibility study, it was the most frequently
recommended use suggested by participants. Such a use falls under a broadly
defined definition of both heritage tourism and heritage education.
"Heritage tourism" is what the National Trust for historic Preservation describes as
"travel designed to experience the places and activities that authentically represent
the stories and people of the past." Heritage tourism destinations such as historic
sites, living history museums, and special activities organized around historic
events make up a growing share of the tourism market nationally. According to a
1998 study completed by the Travel Industry Association of America, 46% of the
199.8 million U.S. adult travelers (92.+4 million) included a cultural, arts, heritage, or
historic activity while on a trip of 5o miles or more, one-way. The report listed
visiting a historic site as the most popular cultural activity among travelers (31%),
followed by visiting a museum (24%), visiting an art gallery (16%) and seeing live
theater (14%).
The Center for Historic Preservation located at Middle Tennessee State University
d0fines "heritage education" as "the use of local cultural and historic resources for
teaching the required curricula of grades K-12. Activities, lessons plains, and units
of study focus on, but are not limited to, architecture, archaeology, cemeteries,
documents, folk ways, objects and artifacts, community and family history,
photographs/portraits, historic sites, museums, and the urban and rural
landscape." Use of the Montgomery -Butler douse as a historic site provides an
413
opportunity for cross -disciplinary study of nearly all of the subject areas Included in
heritage education.
Workshop suggestions for how to use the Montgomery -Butler House included the
establishment of interpretative programs aimed at specific audiences such as
school children or trail users, The use of trained guides, interpretive signs, special
programs and historic reenactments were all recommended. The story of the
building's construction, Its architectural style, its occupants, and the operation of
Butler's Landing ferry and saw mill were suggested as topics for incorporation into
the building's interpretation. Other aspects of the site suitable for interpretation
include the geology of the Iowa River valley and the natural history of the wooded
bluff -top setting of the house. In each of the planning exercises conducted, the
overall preference has been for using the property as some type of historic site and
interpretive center.
To evaluate the merits of such a concept it is necessary to first understand the
demand for historic sites currently operating in the Iowa City-Coralville area. At the
present time. Them are four historic sites actively interpreted In Iowa City and
Coraiville. These sites are each under separate ownership with three managed by
the same organization, the Johnson County Historical Society. They include:
b Old Capitol on the campus of the University of Iowa,
« Plum Grove owned by the State Historical Society of Iowa and
operated under contract by the Johnson County Historical Society,
+ the Heritage Museum of Johnson County in Coralville owned and
operated by the Johnson County Historical Society,
the Johnson County Poor Farm and Asylum owned by the Johnson
County Conservation Board and operated under contract by the
Johnson County Historical Society
34
interpretation programs for these sites range from seff-guided tours and static
exhibits to volunteer conducted tours to professionally guided tours handled by
paid staff members.
Old Capitol is the centerpiece of the University of Iowa's downtown campus,
dominating the Pentacrest Historic District. Designated as one of only a handful of
National Historic Landmarks in the state, it attracts approximately 30,000 visitors
annually from over 100 foreign countries and throughout the United States.
Among the visitors are 6,000-8,000 school (k 12) age children. Director Ann
Smothers indicates that Old Capitol has a staff of two full-time University
employees, work-study students equal to 2.5 full time positions and 30 volunteers
working hours equal to approximately 2.6 full-time employees.
Old Capitol is open seven days a week, year round except for university and
national holidays. Peak periods of attendance according to Smothers are returning
snow birds in late March, school groups in April, May, and June, vacationing
families and summer programs in July and August, and football game traffic,
parent's weekend, alumni reunions, etc. during September and October.
Plum Grove is owned by the State Historical Society of Iowa and managed under
a renewable term contract with the Johnson County Historical Society. The
contract covers a range of management tasks including hours of operation, tour
scheduling, development of the interpretive program, collections management,
special event planning, and certain maintenance tasks. The contract fee is
renegotiated annually to reflect changes in the cost of operation. The Johnson
County Historical Society allocates a portion of one paid staff person in its budget
to handle this site.
The site Is ripen afternoons from Memorial Day through October five days a week,
from Wednesday through Sunday. Current attendance for the properly has been
1,200 to 1,600 people per year with attendance relatively static. Attendance at the
house Is limited by the house's small size and the lack of a visitors center or
35
alternate setting for rotating tour groups through the building. Minimal outreach is
currently conducted for recruiting school tours and as a result, student tour group
attendance is lows. Under the current management contract there is no admission
charge and no attendance goal. Plum Grove has an Advisory Committee that
provides general oversight for the operations of the house.
The Heritage Museum of Johnson County at 310 Fifth Street in Coralvilie is
owned and operated by the Johnson County historical Society. Located in the
1876 brick Coralville Public School, the Heritage Museum features changing
exhibitss as well as a furnished schoolroom. The Heritage Museum also offers
outreach programs for schools, lectures, history amps, and other programs.
Hours of operation are similar to Plum Grover but extend throughout the year.
The Johnson County Poor Farm and Asylum is owned by Johnson County and
operated by the Johnson County Historical Society. The arrangement is provided
for as part of an agreement between the County and the Society wherein the
County provides an annual block grant to the Historical Society and in return, the
Society provides several services Including operation of the Asylum. Tours are;
provided by trained volunteers with all visits scheduled in advance. Restoration
work and interpretive program development are ongoing at this site. When
contacted, a member of the Board of Supervisors indicated their satisfaction with
the Services provided by the Johnson County Historical Society.
Other sites in the area which are regularly included on school tours or as visitor
stops include museums such as the Museum of Natural History in Maogrlde Hall,
the University'of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Medical Museum, and the University of
Iowa Art Museum, and special attractions such as Carver Hawkeye Arena, the
Lake MacSride Raptor venter, Rancher Auditorium, and the Devonian Fossil
Gorge. Future development of the Hawkeye Hall of Fame and Visitor Center will
also draw visitors.
36
An analysis of the historic sites, museums, and special attractions in the Iowa City
area shows a diverse offering with attendance dependent on a range of factors
including location, proximity to other attractions, scale of operation (budget and
employees), scheduled hours, and promotional efforts. The Iowa City-Coralville
Convention and Visitors Bureau has not conducted visitor surveys that compare
interest in these sites. However, anecdotal information from their staff suggests
that the cultural sites that visitors ask about most frequently are Old Capitol, the
Museum of Natural History, the Devonian Fossil Gorge, the Medical Museum, the
Museum of Art, and the Johnson County Heritage Museum.
The addition of a historic site such as the Montgomery -Butler House to the mix of
heritage sites and museums in the area would not appear to duplicate existing
sites or attractions. Its semi -rural location and modest construction contrasts with
Plum Grove's larger scale and more elaborate furnishings. The Montgomery -
Butler House is favored by its location adjacent to Interstate 80, close proximity to
future visitors viewing the new Iowa City Water Treatment Plant, and amenities
planned for the new Waterworks Park and the Iowa River Corridor Trail west of the
house site. The quality of an interpretive program frequently determines the
success of a site, which in turn depends on -how well the message is conveyed,
and to what extent the audiences are properly targeted. If done well, the
Montgomery -Butler House should be able to compete well with other local historic
sites.
The strengths of the Montgomery -Butler House as an historic site are not those of
typical house museums. In Its current state, it does not have an oppealing
appearance or an important decorative arts collection. It never had large well-
groomed or formal gardens. Its occupants were not Iowa City°s most prominent
family and its association was never with the proverbial "rich and famous."
Rather, the value of the Montgomery -Butler House as a historic site comes from its
lengthy association with an important early Johnson County pioneer and her family
37
— Elizabeth Butler Montgomery and her children. Bunt of limestone likely quarried
from nearby outcroppings, its construction marked the first generation of settlement
in the area by Euro-Americans.. Its vernacular form and competent craftsmanship
reflected the tastes and skills of local builders. The historic lessons about the
settlement of Iowa !City as a territorial capital and the relationship between farm
and city are embodied in the house and farmstead. Its site marked an important
early road leading into Iowa City. Elizabeth's children operated a ferry at this site
conveying wagons and passengers across the Iowa River. The family name of
Butler became associated with the place name for the site — "Butler's Landing" and
the bridge that would eventually be built across the river, "Butler Bridge."
Interpretation of the Montgomery -Butler Mouse is more complex and rich than
many historic sites due to Its extraordinary setting on a bluff -top location along the
Iowa Diver, less than a half -mile from the new Iowa City Water Treatment Plant.
The,.site provides an opportunity to understand the geological story of the area: the
laying down of coral in ancient seas, the -formation of limestone strata hundreds of
feet deep, the creation of the Iowa River valley when the glaciers melted, and the
subsequent formation of alluvial plains and limestone outcroppings along the river
edges. Each of these lessons is part of the pre -historic "story of water" evidenced
on the site.
Construction of the house from sedimentary limestone, building of a ferry across
an important Iowa river, and farming the rich form land along the river edge
continue the "story of water" through the historic period of occupancy in the 1 gtt'
and early 2& centuries. The development of a new Water Treatment Plant, which
necessitated the drilling of wells through layers of ancient bedrock, the pumping of
water directly from the Iowa River itself, and the storage and purification of water
for daily consumption by thousands of people continues the "story of water" into
the 21st century. The house and site can serve as a focal point for telling this
Important and complex "story of water."
38
The development of historic sites frequently involves restoration. Even buildings
that appear to be well-preserved frequently undergo careful study to determine
original elements, to date alterations and changes, and in some cases, to
reestablish historic features or appearances. The best historic sites today use
restoration work as a part of the eduction process. Historic archeological
investigations are undertaken with the assistance of volunteers and In full view of
museum visitors. Building restoration Workers are often encouraged to serve as
tour guides, explaining the processes of reconstruction being undertaken or
painstaking restoration work involved As a result, some of the richest
interpretative programs for historic sites are those undertaken while restoration is
taking place, not after it is completed.
As a result, it is recommended that the Montgomery -Butler House be restored in
three phases With interpretation taking place during their completion through a
variety of means including archeological digs for volunteers, "restoration
chautauquas," specially scheduled restoration tours, before -and -after open hopse
events, and hands-on restoration work for volunteers. A phased approaoh would
allow restoration to be implemented over a period of years while interest and
support in the site builds. A multi -phase restoration process would also distribute
the cost over a period of years and, therefore, reduce the initial cost of opening the
facility to the public.
A broad scope of work supported by the phased approach is outlined below with
items ranked as A, B'or C priorities. To get the project started with a minimum
capital outlay, an initial Start -Up Phase (Phase 1) Is recommended. No restoration
would be completed can the house with efforts concentrating on providing access
and securing the building. Since funding has already been secured through a
TEA-21 Grant to establish a trail head at the site, only a nominal additional cost of
approximately $7,000 would be required from the City of Iowa City.
39
Once use of the house is established as a historic site, work could proceed on the
development phases. Phase II would include "A" priority items that concentrate on
what is necessary to protect the house and site and to provide for its public
interpretation when viewed exclusively from the exterior. Phase III would include
"B" priority items that would provide greater access to the house and give visitors a
more complete picture of the building's early appearance. Only upon completion of
Phase IV and the "C" priority work would regular interior access to the building be
provided and a collection of appropriate period furnishings be sought. the work
items are described in greater detail under Section F below.
The development and Implementation of an Interpretative program at the
Montgomery -Butler House will require considerable creativity and experience. It is
recommended that this work be handled by professionals and trained volunteers
under their direction. The Montgomery -,Butler House has the potential to serve as
a key visitor destination within Waterworks Park. Together with the environmental
areas being established in the park and the new Water Treatment Plant itself, the
"story'of water" can be creatively offered to school children, trail users, passing
interstate visitors and local residents.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation has developed policies and programs
to promote appreciation for a wide range of historic resources in the United States.
During the past decade, the work of the Trust in the field of heritage tourism lead
the organization to establish a national initiative and develop five guiding principles
to establish a sustainable heritage tourism program in a community, region or
state. These straightforward principles appear below and should be used to guide
the development of the Montgomery -Butler Mouse and its interpretive program.
• Focus on authenticity and quality of experience
• Preserve and protect resources
• Make sites come alive
+► Find the fit between a community or region and tourism
a Collaborate
40
The idea of using the Montgomery -Butler House in conjunction with the Iowa River
Corridor Trail was first proposed in 1996 during a brainstorming session of
potential uses for the house jointly attended by members of the Iowa City Historic
Preservation Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission and Riverfront and
Natural Areas Commission. The idea resurfaced during the community planning
workshop earlier this year. The short distance between the Montgomery -Butler
House and the trail seems to make it a natural site for locating support trail head
services such as a picnic area, restrooms, and parking lot for trail users.
in 1999-2000, the City of Iowa City successfully secured a TEA 21 Transportation
Enhancement Program Grant with matching funds totaling $100,000 to develop a
trail head at the house site including construction of a 450 foot trail spur, a Small
parking lot and public restrooms. At the time the grant request was made and
approved, plans called for location of these facilities south of the house and north
of the relic road. During the preparation of this feasibility study, the exact location
of these amenities was deferred pending its completion.
There are ample precedents around the country for locating trail head facilities in
and near historic buildings. The fact that many trails are located on former railroad
routes has meant that historic railroad depots are frequently converted for this use.
The 32-mile long Elroy -Sparta Trail in southwest Wisconsin is an example. The
oldest rail to -trail in the U.S., its trail headquarters are located in a restored railroad
depot in Kendall which also offers sale of trail passes, bike rentals, drinking water,
refreshments, rest rooms, a parking lot, and souvenir sales.
Elsewhere along the trail in the village of Wilton a visitor center is located in a
caboose right next to the trail. More simply outfitted, the caboose offers brochures
for area attractions and accommodations for bicyclists as well as a photo display of
41
village and railroad history. The Sparta Depot located some distance from the
Elroy -Sparta Trail has a spur that joins the trait. It also serves as the trail
headquarters for the La Crosse River State Trial. Located at 111 Milwaukee
Street, it, too. has a spacious parking lot, restrooms, vending machines and an
area set aside for interpreting the history of the railroad. The trail's most complete
services are located at the eastern terminus of the Elroy -Sparta Trail. The Elroy
Commons is located in a series of new buildings at 303 Railroad Street in Elroy
and provides the most complete trail head facilities. It serves as an information
center with space provided for restrooms, parking, a picnic area, tot lot, showers, a
place to purchase trail passes, a bicycle shuttle service stop and bicycle rentals.
These trail head types demonstrate the range of services that can be provided,
from a self -serve stop with the minimal distribution of brochures and a few parking
spaces to a full -service, staffeO facility. In most of these examples, the trail head is
centrally located in the community where the facility is clearly visible and provided
with good access to utilities. The depots were easily equipped with updated rest
rooms and drinking fountains. Convenient at -grade parking lots were created
adjacent to the sites.
The Montgomery*Butler douse poses problems for all but the most minimal use as
a trail head. The site is located approximately 450 feet from the main Iowa River
Corridor Trail and if no other option for a parking facility existed, one could be
created at the house site. However, the preferred packing lot location is the one
scheduled for development along the Iowa River just west of the Dubuque Street
bridge. This site Is larger and already disturbed. It has the capacity to
accommodate larger vehicles inducting buses, vans and trailers. It also has the
advantage of directly adjoining the trail.
The site south of the Montgomery -Butler House, on the other hand, would have
difficult access onto Dubuque Street because of the steep incline and poor visibility
to vehicles approaching from the south. Construction of the 10 W15-space parking
42
lot currently proposed for the trail head south of the house would detract from the
house's historic setting. Protection of the historic ferry road would be difficult to
maintain during construction and require careful planning to avoid damage from
parking lot run-off. In order to use the house as a mufti -service trail head while
preserving its historic attributes, a signfficant rehabilitation would be necessary.
Underground electrical service and telephone lines would need to be introduced.
Provision of drinking water at the site would be costly but feasible. The location of
sewer service for public rest rooms in a separate building or in a portion of the
house would be more problematic due to site restrictions posed by location of the
property on the Water Treatment Plant site. The limited size of the building would
make the space unsuitable for bike rentals, vending machine refreshments, and
souvenir sales.
As with the parking lot, the preferable location for a trail head would appear to be
adjacent to the parking lot in Waterworks Park clear the Dubuque Street bridge.
There is adequate room here to erect an attractive structure to house portable
handicapped restrooms. During the winter months and in the event of high water,
portable toilets could be easily removed thus keeping the Iowa City Water
Treatment Plant safe. From spring through fall, these units could be serviced
based on a regular schedule or on -demand pumping. An example of such a
structure is the enclosure built in the fall of 2000 for the portable toilets in Lake
Calhoun regional Park in Minneapolis, MN. Designed by Darmon Farber
Associates for the Minneapolis Park Board, the structure is one of several designs
for similar trail and park facilities located at Lake of the Isles, Powderhorn Park and
other Minneapolis municipal parks. Sizing of the portable toilet enclosure for the
Iowa fiver Corridor Trail at Butler's Landing should consider sufficient space for
use by small to medium sized groups such as small bicycle touring groups and
visiting student groups touring the Montgomery -Butler House and the natural areas
developed to the west in Waterworks Park.
43
Installation of a drinking fountain, telephone, and brochure display can also be
handled at the trail side location. it is recommended that construction of the
connecting spur to the house site be retained. Several picnic tables can be placed
along the spur within the stone foundations of the former outbuilding. Bicyclists
would be encouraged to make a visit to the house and the interpretive markers
around it part of their rest stop.
The simple, open design of this enclosure provides for safety and minimal construction cost. Lake Calhoun
Regional Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota (photo Credit: Cqurtesy of Minneapolis Park and Recreation
Boord/Damon Farber Associates, Minneapolis),
1
A third potential use for the Montgomery -Sutler House is as an Iowa City visitor
center to serve interstate motorists and regional travelers. At the present time
44
travelers visiting the Iowa City-Coralviile area use the Convention and Visitor's
Bureau Welcome Center at Iowa Riverview Square, 408 First Avenue in Coralville.
Located along a major access route into Coralville, this site doubles as office
space for the Convention and Visitor's Bureau and a staffed welcome center. It Is
conveniently located along routes to Iowa City hospitals, the University of Iowa
campus and the University sports complex on the west side of the Iowa River.
Until about five years ago, an information kiosk was also maintained south of
Interstate 80 on North Dubuque Street. At that time the kiosk was removed and
replaced with picnic tables and a pay phone. The site contains no building or
staffed visitor contact point.
At the present time the University of Iowa, offers several welcome centers in
facilities scattered throughout the campus. They include facilities at Old Capitol,
the Admission Visitors' Center in the Bowman House at the southeast corner of
Clinton and Bloomington streets, and sse'veral visitor centers at the University
hospitals, A new Athletic Hall of Fame and Visitors Center Is currently being
planned as part of the recreation complex being developed near Finkbine Golf
Course. The complex will include swimming, tennis, and soccer facilities as well
as the Hall of Fame site.
An evaluation of the need for a comprehensive visitor site to serve travelers
entering Iowa City Is beyond the scope of work of this study. However, the
suitability of the Montgomery -Butler House for such a use is not. Located north
rather than south of Interstate 80, the house is poorly sited for visitors entering the
main activity areas of the community that are located south of the interstate — the
University of Iowa, the central business district, the University sports complex, and
University hospitals. The house's modest size and the 4-acre slopping site would
be prohibitively small for providing the utilitarian services needed at a welcome
center. These typically include a large parking lot with oversized spaces for
recreational vehicles and buses; multiple restrooms; large circulation areas
containing wall maps, kiosks, brochure displays, computer monitor stations,
45
vending machines, and public telephones; staff support areas; storage rooms; and
seating areas.
Although the house could be developed as a self -serve welcome center with no
staff or limited hours of operation and minimal services, visitors to the area would
be poorly served. A well -developed and planned visitor enter modeled after the
Mississippi River Welcome Center in t eClaire, Iowa and other such facilities
around the country would be more appropriate to the scale of visitors to the Iowa
City-Coreiville area. Placement of a visitor center in the Montgomery -Butler House
would be incompatible with the nature and location of the site as well as the
physical limitations of the house.
Community Center
Municipally owned historic buildings are frequently converted to community center
use with spare scheduled for meetings, parties, weddings, receptions, special
events, etc. These uses generally arise out of public demand for such space and
the capacity of many historic buildings to hold medium to large-scale gatherings in
spacious rooms or on adjacent grounds.
As in the case of a visitor center use, the physical limitations of the Montgomery -
Butler House would preclude its use for all but very small gatherings. Even for
these uses, the building would, require a complete rehabilitation along with the
installation of rest moms and both an AIDA entrance and internal circulation plan.
Public use of the grounds only for small special events such as picnics ,and
weddings would be feasible though not ideal without the provision of rest rooms
and ample parking on the immediate site. limited exterior use of the site for
gatherings could be accomplished with considerably less financial investmentt than
regular interior use. For lamer special events such as historic reenactments,
special provision could be made for rest rooms and potable water.
46
Because of the limitations of the building and the general availability of meeting
space in a wide range of public and semipublic facilities in Iowa City and
Coralville, it is not recommended that the interior of the Montgomery -Butler House
be developed as a community center. Scheduled use of the exterior grounds for
this purpose could be incorporated as an ancillary use for the property without
compromising its primary recommended use as a historic site and interpretive
center.
"Who should be responsible for managing the property during restoration
and operation?"
Since the Montgomery -Butler House was "mothballed" in 1998, the house and site
have not been open to the public for any level of use. Responsibility for the
property has been shared by several City departments with the lead currently
being taken by staff of the Planning and Community Development Department.
Although there was evidence of transient occupancy of the property prior to
acquisition by the City and before the building was stabilized and secured in 1998,
there has been only one instance of curiosity seekers entering the building since
then. The site has been periodically inspected and several maintenance projects
have been handled by coordination with the Park and Recreation Department or
through private contract. planning work including the coordination of the
professional services contract for completion of this feasibility study has been
handled through the Planning and Community Development Department.
There is ample evidence of municipal ownership of historic properties in Iowa.
According to anecdotal information provided by the State Historical Society of Iowa
and the Iowa Main Street program, dozens of municipalities in Iowa own and
operate historic buildings and sites. Examples include a wide range of historic
building types and uses. They serve as city halls and municipal buildings, libraries,
park buildings, music pavilions, coliseums, auditoriums, statuary and monuments,
and senior centers. In several instances municipally owned historic buildings
47
function as house museums or historic sites with operation coordinated through
local historic preservation commissions, non-profit historical organizations or
appointed bodies charged with specific responsibility for a property.
Municipalities, include small towns such as Bonaparte (pop. 465) and Lake City
(pop. 1,841), county seats such as Hampton (pop. 4,133) and Marshalltown (pop.
25,178) and all of the state's largest cities. Some cities own only one historic
property while others such as Davenport have ten individual buildings, one historic
district with more than 20 separate buildings, and fear city parks, all listed on the
National Register of Historic Places. A short list of municipally owned historic
resources appears below:
(Partial List of Municipally Owned Historic Buildings, Sites and
Structures in lowe
Municipal Building - Ackley
Bandsheil - Ackley
Fire Station — Albla
Bandshell - Ames
Iowa Soldiers! Orphan's Horne - Ames
Anamoss Public Library - Anamoss
City Hall -- Bloomfield
Auntle Green House (museum/library) Bonaparte.
City Hall Bonaparte
City Hall — Burlington
Fire and Police Station — Burlington
Burlington Public Library - Burlington
City Hall & Memorial Building -- Ceder Rapids
Hose.Station No. 5 — Cedar Rapids
Hose Station No. 2 (city transportation department offices & training center) —
Cedar Rapids
Charles City Carnegie Library (art center) Chary City
Council Bluffs Public library — Council Bluffs
City Hall -- Davenport
Central Fire Station — Davenport
Firehouse No. 4 (fire fighting museum) - Davenport
Adler Theatre (former Orphourn Theater, part of civic theater complex) -- Davenport
Iowa Wdiers' Orphan's Hone /Annie Wittenmyer Complex (children's theater,
branch library & park offices) - Davenport
Antoine LeClaire House (museum and community center) -- Davenport
Dillion Fountain — Davenport
8 Compiled from lists provided by Kerry McGrath and Berry Bennett with the Community
Programs Bureau of the State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines and Tim Reinders with lain
Street Iowa in the Iowa Department of Economic Development
48
W.F.Petersen Music Pavilion, LeClaire Park - Davenport
Collins House (senior center) — Davenport
John Littig House (community center) -- Davenport
Vander Veer Park, Riverview Terrace Park, Prospect Park, Lindsay Park in
National Register historic districts— Davenport
Phelps Park Decorah
Municipal Court and Public Safety Building Des Moines
Municipal Building — Des Moines
Fire Station No. 4 — Des Moines
Five Flags Center (opera house) - Dubuque
City Hall - Dubuque
Opera House/City Hall- Elkader
Memorial Hall - Hampton
Iowa Falls Camegie Library - Iowa Falls
Municipal Park on Black Hawk Lake with Chief Black Hawk Statute and stone pier
and walkways around the lake shore — Lake City
Town Hall and Fire Station — Laporte City
City Hall — LeClaire
Municipal Building and Police Station — Marshalltown
Marshalltown Public Library - Marshalltown
Marshalltown Memorial Coliseum Marshalltown
Town Hall/Jail - Maynard
City Hall -- Mount Pleasant
Memorial Park Watertower and Pumphouse - Mount Vernon
New Hampton Carnegie Library (museum) - New Hampton
Band Gazebo, City Square and Chief Mahaska Statute - Oskaloosa
Oskaloosa Fire Station - Oskaloosa
City Hall — Oskaloosa
Turner Hail (city hall) — Postville
City Hall - Sioux City
City Hall (former Grand Auditorium and Hotel Block)- Story City
Memorial Hall .- Sigourney
Hope mire Company Engine House - Toledo
Fire Station No. 2 -- Waterloo
City Hall & Fire Station -- West Des Moines
City Hall -- What Cheer
As these cases demonstrate, many Iowa Cries own and successfully operate
historic buildings for a range of uses.
At the present time, the City of Iowa City's direct involvement with historic buildings
is limited to its ownership and joint operation of the Iowa City/Johnson County
Senior Center in the old Post Office at the northeast corner of Washington and
Linn streets. A 28E agreement between the City and County spells out conditions
49
under which the $enlor Center operates. The City has lease agreements with
several senior service agencies that occupy rent-free space in the building.
Ownership of College Green Park in the National register and ]oral historic district
known as College Square" is an example of a historic landscape feature under
City ownership. The park, forms the centerpiece of one of Iowa City's six historic
districts listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
In several other instances in the past the City has taken temporary ownership of
historic buildings pending final disposition to private or not -for -profit owners. The
City's recent involvement with the Englert Theatre was an example of temporary
ownership playing a key rile in preserving a building. The City's purchase of this
threatened downtown landmark was followed by its subsidized resale to the
Englart Civic Theatre, Inc., a private, nonprofit corporation.
A strong case was made at the beginning of the development of the lots City
Water Treatment Plant for the acquisition and ownership of the parcel of ground
containing the Montgomery -Butler House. Although its use as a historic site was
not anticipated at the time, its operation as a facility open to public in one fashion
or another is consistent with the recommendation for the development of the
adieoent Walorwoft Partc and the public use areas within the Water Treatment
Plant itself. Transfer of the Montgomery -Butler House through sale or gift to a non -
municipal owner would be inconsistent with the goals set forth In its original
acquisition.
Responsibility for the development and day -today operation of the Montgomery -
Butler Mouse could be placed with one of several City departments including
Planning and Community Development, Parks and recreation, or Water
Treatment. Alternatively, general responsibility could be given to one of these
departments with development and day-to-day operation handled through
contractual arrangements with an existing or new not -for -profit organization. Two
50
Of the local historic sites mentioned previously, Plum Grove and the Johnson
County Poor Farm and Asylum, are successful exampies of governmental
ownership with contractual management by a not for -profit organization, the
Johnson County Historical Society. in bath oases, the properties have been In
governmental ownership for a considerable period of time.
In the case of Plum Grove the management structure has changed through the
years with the quality of operations ranging from poor to marginally successful until
recently. The State of Iowa acquired the property in 19443 and completed
restoration work before opening it to the public in 1946 as a memorial to former
Governor Robert Lucas. In recent years the State Historical Society of Iowa has
had responsibility for Baum Grove with several state departments and civic groups
supporting its restoration and operation in the intervening period. Operation of the
site was shifted by contractual arrangement to the Johnson County Historical
Society in 1993. Sind that time all maintenance, tours, scheduling, and special
events have been coordinated by a paid Johnson County Historical Society staff
member and volunteers recruited by the organization.
According to Steve Ohrn, historic site administrator with the State Historical
Society of Iowa, the current contractual operation with the Johnson County
Historical Society for glum Grove has provided a cost effeotive operation and his
office is very satisfied with the way the current contract is working. He especially
praised the efforts of the Johnson County Historical Society. Because ownership
and primary responsibility continues with the State Historical Society, major capital
Improvements at the site, fund raising for these improvements, and administering
related contracts are all handled by the State. Ohm's offices: has not completed any
strategic planning for Plum Grove and has not set attendance goals and other
measurable objectives. It should be noted that the State Historical Society does
maintain a collaborative relationship with the University of Iowa's Department of
Anthropology with archeological fieldwork completed at the site each year.
51
It is recommended that to launch the reuse plan for the Montgomery -Butler House
that the City establish a "Montgomery-13utier House Task Force" made up of five to
ten mayoral appointees and staffed by designated representatives of the Planning
and Community Development Department, the Parks and Recreation Department
and the Water Treatment Plant. A current or former City Council member could
also be appointed. This task force would be in place for a period of no more than
several years during which time the first phase of work for creation of a historic site
and interpretive center at the (Montgomery -Butler house would be completed.
Curing this time, the task force would oversee the start-up phase including
construction of'the parking lot, improved access road, trail spur, and security
system. Negotiations could also begin for a management contract with the
Johnson County Historical Society, Inc. for the building's more active operation as
a historic site and interpretive center once Phase 11 gets underway. Preliminary
discussions with the Johnson County Historical Society, Inc. have indicated their
willingness to consider such an agreement. The basic format for such an
agreement should be similar to the "Agreement for Cooperative Action" between
the State Historical Society of Iowa and the Johnson County Historical Society.
Once the management contract becomes operational, an 'oversight committee
similar to the task force would provide guidance to the site's operation. Provisions
in the management agreement would spell out such things as responsibility for
grounds upkeep, aeasonal hours, visitor attendance goals, types of scheduled
events allowed and not allowed at the site, recruitment of volunteers, admission
fees (if any), and a compensation structure for the site operator.
An alternative to contracting for operation of the house would be the formation of a
new not -for -profit 501c(3) organization. Such an organization would take
considerably longer to get up and running than a task force and would require
significantly more involvement at the onset by dedicated and committed
individuals. Bf this alternative is selected, it is recommended that the founding
52
group also include an attorney experienced with the legal requirements and
obligations of establishing a 501c(3) organization.
Once the Montgomery -Butler House becomes established as a local heritage
attraction as well as an amenity along the Iowa Diver Corridor Trail, plans should
begin on Phase III or "B" priority improvements. This work can be completed
incrementally, with the site remaining open to visitors. Work should be able to be
completed within the next four to seven years. Responsibility for grant writing,
fundraising and administration of construction contracts could continue with the
City or be negotiated as part of the management contract for the site, Continued
completion of site maintenance work as a part of the City's operation of
Waterworks Park could also remain with the Parks and Recreation Department.
Visits to Waterworks Park's natural .habitat areas and tours of the Water Treatment
Plant should be closely coordinated with visitors to the Montgomery -Butler House.
Most of the work Items included in Phase iV, the final phase of development of the
Montgomery -Butler House, can be deferred for an indefinite period of time. Work
items included in this phase will require a thorough understanding of how the
house operated, which is not known at the present time. A hurried completion of
this phase of work should not be encouraged. Selected items such as completion
of a restored landscape or restoration of the stucco cladding could be
accomplished without completing a fall interior restoration called for in the final
phase.
.After Phase III is completed the house will allow installation of a collection of
appropriate period furnishings. it is possible that some items appropriate for this
use may already exist in the collections of the Johnson County Historical Society.
Other items will need to be solicited. A collection policy should be carefully crafted
to meet the specific interpretative needs of the Montgomery -Butler House.
53
"Do Nothing$$
One of the questions put to the consultant during the course of completing this
feasibility study was "What happens if the City of Iowa City decides to `do
nothing'?" There are costs and risks, both hidden and obvious, associated with
such a decision. Since its acquisition, City staff associated with management of
the Montgomery -Butler House have made a deliberate effort to maintain a low -
profile for the property. No publicity has been sought for it, no signage has been
installed, the house remains hidden behind a dense stand of trees and bushes
along North Dubuque Street for most of the year, the access road remains chained
closed, and the access lane and parking area south of the house have been
covered with a layer of large limestone that carries the subliminal message "don't
tread on me." Security has been breached only minimally with a few loads of
debris left at the site and only one rec9rded instance of curiosity seekers entering
the building.
Once coristruction on the Iowa City Water Treatment Plant is completed and
Waterworks Park is developed and opened to the public, the visibility of the
Montgomery -Butler House will change. The building will become a natural
attraction for park visitors and trail users. In a worse case scenario, the house has
the potential to become an attractive nuisance for curiosity seekers. The low level
of security that has sustained the building since stabilization measures were
completed in 1998 will not be sufficient to protect it once It becomes more visible.
The general liability risk associated with doing nothing at the Montgomery -Butler
House will be heightened as a mutt.
The site will also require a minimal level of general maintenance. City staff will
need to monitor the property for illegal dumping and regularly assess hazardous
conditions that might result from tree falls, Curiosity by the general public may also
prompt park staff to carry out a minimal level of maintenance for the immediate site
with several mowings during the growing season.
54
As has been noted previously, the stabilization measures taken in 1998 have
succeeded in doing what they were intended to do, i.e. halting the building's
decline thus giving the City the option of carefully considering how to reuse the
building and fund its future rehabilitation and operation. These same stabilization
measures with a few modifications for greater security will allow the City to defer
making a reuse decision for some time.
'What should the :scope for the restoration work include, how should it be
phased and when should it be completed?"
The recommendations outlined here suggest a scope of work that is designed to
meet the requirements for use of the Montgomery -Butler House a's historic site and
interpretive center within Waterworks Park. Because of the house's condition and
because it currently has no historic collection that is threatened, a phased
approach is recommended.
Such an approach would allow restoration to be implemented over a period of
years while interest and support in the site builds. In such an approach, the
restoration process itself could become part of the interpretive program and a
source for educational programs. A multi -phase restoration process could also
distribute the cost over a period of years and, therefore, reduce the initial cost of
opening the facility to the public.
To keep the initial costs of making the Montgomery -Butler House a historic site and
reducing the operating expenses associated with such an effort, a "Start-up Phase
I" has been developed. Only the absolutely essential work would be completed to
make the site minimally accessible to trail users and park visitors. No restoration
work on the house would be completed and "low tech" temporary interpretive signs
55
would be posted near the house and along the trail spur. Even during this Start-up
Phase, however, it is recommended that certain security measures be taken since
the house will have a heightened visibility. An overhead electrical service and
telephone line would need to be installed.
The Next phase of developing the property as a historic site and interpretive center
should concentrate work on what is necessary to protect the house and site and
enhance its public interpretation. No interior access is provided under this
scenario with attention focused on further stabilization measures, preliminary
restoration efforts, and a self -guided interpretive program. These items have been
given an "A" priority ranking in the table below and are included under phase ll.
Items that have a "B" priority ranking would provide greater access to the house
and give visitors a more complete picture of the building's early appearance
through reconstruction of such items as the south porch. These items are
necessary for its longterm use as a historic site, but deferring their completion will
not pose a threat to the house. If desired, several "A" priority items could be
reclassified as "B" priorities. For example, repairs to the roof should Include
completely removing the temporary metal roofing installed in 1998 as well as the
standing seam metal roof beneath it that likely dates from the tur -of the^20th
century or earlier. The building's original roof should be reproduced using new
wood shingles to match the historic appearance. This work could be reclassified.
13" prioritty items comprise Phase Ill.
Items that have a "C" priority ranking will be necessary for a full and complete
restoration of the property as an historic house museum. These items are
necessary to provide visitor access to the interior spaces in the building. A modest
collection of furnishings appropriate to the house's interpretative period could be
installed after completion of this phase of work. The "C" priority work items
constitute Phase IV.
56
m'aontgomery-Butler House Rehabilitation Cast Estimates
1, Structural Stabilization,
•::
2. install overhead Electrical Service and Security A 6,000
System _
3. Tem ora Sign and Improved House Secur" A 1,000
4. Build Connecting Spur to Waterworks Park and Iowa A 20,000
River Corridor Trail (tunded with TEA 21 Grant)
5. Build 3-Car Parking Lot & Access. Road to North A 20,000
Dubuoue Street (funded with TEA-21 Grant)
Wood Shingle Roof on (plain House & Standing A 24,500
Seam Metal Roof on Summer Kitchen
7. Repair Cornice & Eaves A 4,500
8. Rebuild Chimneys A 2,500
9. Re air Window & Door Openings, Sash & Doors A 23,500
10. Prepare & paint all exterior wood A 10, 500
11. Ventilation System A 1,500
12. Research & Install interpretive Markers A 10,000
13. Build Accessible Paths from Parking Lot to A 10,000
Lji�4^Aj%,mI fiAftrtr&m- rthaar P alir_ Rnarl RnittA
P It 88 .00
14. Under round Electrical Service to House
B
5,500
15. Rebuild South Porch & lire -Construction
Archeology
B
15,000
16. Rebuild South Basement Entrance & Pre.
Construction Archeology
B
5,500
17, Summer Kitchen -
B
1,500
18. Restore Interior Walls
B
29,000
19. Rebuild Central Staircase
B
10,500
20. Re air and Finish Floors
B
5,500
21. Restore Interior Doors & Trim
B
1Q 500
Ph sa lit. "�!! �' sari 1E~S
$$91000
22. Paint Interior Walls and Strip Trim --
C
12,000
23. Install Electric Heating S stem
C
13,000
24. Archeology --Privy & North Basement Entrance
C
2,500
25. First Floor Wa Covering
C
1 6,000
57
26. Document Historic Landscape & Replant'
C
10,000
-27. Rebuild North Porch & Pre -Construction
Archeofog
C
6,000
28. Basement Window Restoration
C
3,000
20. Basement Interior Restoration
C
11,600
30. Cement Stucco Removal and Restore Original
Stucco Finish
C
33,500
31. ADA Measures for House Interior, First Floor -
Install Wheel Chair Lift in Summer Kitchen
C
20,000
Ebage IV: "-C" piriowit'es
$119,500
TOTAL PHASES 1, 11, 111 & IV
1342,500
Structural Stabilization - This work was completed in 1998 by the City of
Iowa under the design and direction of architects Susan Licht, AIA and John
Shaw, AIA, Work Included removal and storage of the south porch millwork,
installation of permanent structural supports in the building interior, laying of
a temporary metal roof over the existing metal roof and early wood shingles,
Installation of gutters and downspouts, secure enclosure of all window and
door openings, and installation of a passive ventilation system. Total cost
for design services and the construction contract was $45,723.
Phase I — Start-up;
2. Install Overhead Electrical Service and Security System - Overhead
Electrical Service is being recommended here as a cheaper means of
providing power to the site during the start-up phase of operations.
Installation of underground electrical service is recommended in Phase Ill,
Operation of the house security system will be the only electrical
requirement initially, '
Installation of a security system far the house is recommended in order to
alert the City of any intrusion into the building and monitor for fire. The
house will have a higher profile In the community and because of its
38
sheltered location, it has the potential for being entered. A security system
with a telephone line connection to a monitoring location such as Central
Fire Station is recommended. In addition, the house should be connected
to the security procedures established for Waterworks Park.
3. Temporary Sign and Improved House Security — To provide a minimal
interpretation of the house and site, installation of two signs is
recommended. One should be located adjacent to the parking lot and the
other along the trail spur. Content could be developed based on themes
recommended in this report and using the National Register nomination
prepared for the Montgomery -Butler House. Additional text could be
prepared with the assistance of Dr. Jean Prior with the Iowa Department of
Natural Resources.
4. Iowa River Corridor Trail Spur — A trail spur connecting the Montgomery -
Butler House site to the maim Iowa River Corridor Trail should be built along
the alignment of the existing farm access road that runs parallel to the north
edge of the relic road. This recommendation is consistent with the TEA-21
Grant to establish a trail head in the vicinity of the house.
5. Barking Lot and Access Road w- A 3-car parking lot would be built to provide
handicapped access to the site, to allow for deliveries and provide access
for the solitary visitor to the site. The access road to North Dubuque Street
would be regraded and both the lot and drive given crushed limestone
surface consistent with the properly's historic appearance. The surface
would be suitably compacted to allow for disabled access.
Phase ft - "A" Pri0104.
6. Roof — Inspection of the interior of the building indicates that the temporary
metal roof is serving the purpose originally intended of keeping rain and
snow out of the building. It is not a permanent or long-term solution,
59
however. To reestablish the historic appearance of the main building, the
temporary metal roof and the standing seam metal roof beneath it should be
removed. Then, the exposed wood shingles should be inspected to
determine their age and removed, the hewn wood sheeting strips should be
inspected and repaired, and a new wood shingle roof that matches the
original should be installed.
7. Cornice and Eaves — The wood cornice and eaves should be inspected to
identify their condition and the presence of any unexposed openings.
Repairs should be made using matching materials. ,A minimalist approach
calls for replacing only the minimal amount of wood necessary and repairing
the balance with epoxy materials. A paint analysis should be completed to
determine the chronology of paint coatings and to ascertain historic paint
colors on all wood (and stone) surfaces. The repaired wood surfaces
should be scraped, primed and painted accordingly.
6. Chimneys -- The house originally had gable end chimneys that served wood
stoves. The west chimney has been removed to the roofline white the east
chimney remains but in poor condition. The brick and tuck pointing in the
east chimney should be inspected to determine their stability. Rebuilding
will likely be necessary, Salvaged brick should be used with a mortar mix
and tooling matching the original. A chimney for the west end should be
reconstructed using similar brick. Bemuse the chimneys will not be used,
no liners will need to be installed.
9. Window and Door Openings — Only one original window sash remains in the
house. It is located on the wall between the summer kitchen and the west
room on the first floor in the main house. This 6f6 double -hung sash should
serve as the prototype for the design of all replacement windows. New sash
should most likely be built with single glazing In a true divided -light
configuration. Prior to making a final decision, security measures for the
house should be fully evaluated and alternative glazing materials analyzed.
10. Painting — All exterior wood on the soffit, facia, returning cornices, windows
and trim should be scraped, patched and painted.
11. Ventilation System — Once windows have been reinstalled in the house, the
current passive ventilation system in place will no longer be viable. To
retain the critical balance of moisture in the building during the changes in
season, the installation of a humidistat controlled mechanical ventilation
system is recommended.
12. Interpretive Signs — The initial plan for interpreting the house and site for
visitors calls for the installation of three to four carefully placed interpretive
signs. Likely locations include:
• North of the agproach to the relic road that extends along the south
edge of the site. This sign would discuss the history of the old ferry
operation, the deep ruts in the road and how they tell the story of the
narrow wagons that used it, the presence of a hedge row of Osage
orange located south of the relic road and the importance of farm -to -
market roads for the residents of Johnson County who sold Grope and
made their regular purchases in Iowa City.
• South of the house adjacent to the small parking lot to built south of the
house. This would be the principal interpretive sign containing
information about Martin Montgomery and Elizabeth Butler
Montgomery; the saw mill, ferry and farming operations associated with
this site; the architectural form and construction methods found in the
house, and its 2& century use as a rented farm.
• Northwests of, the Rouge near the fallen oak tree. From here, visitors
can observe the Iowa River Valley through an opening in the trees and
61
study the remains of an oak tree predating the house that formerly
stood here. This location also provides a view of the north entrance
without its original porch or door hood. The interpretive sign would
seek to relate the geological story of the formation of the river valley
thousands of years ago, discuss where the stone for the houte likely
originated, explain the history of the site prior to Euro-American
settlement using the rings of the tree, and speculate about what the
original entrance door treatment may have looked like using drawings
of various designs.
ID West of the hocase along the Iowa River Corridor trail spur and near the
rains of one of the stone building foundations. From this location
Visitors will be able to see the flood plain area and the stabilization
pond in the distance. The stone and concrete foundations of the former
farm buildings will also be visible. This sign will be used to interpret the
agricultural use of the site from the 1850s until the 1990s when the site
was acquired for use in conjunction with the Iowa City Water Treatment
Plant. The various sources of water fear the facility will be described in
the context of the geology of the site,
13, baths and Restoration of Relic Road — To provide visitor access to the site
several short paths should be bulk connecting the parking lot and trail spur
to the interpretive signs. The grades should be established to meet
accessibility standards. To maintain the historic appearance of the site,
these paths should be rocked and compacted. Alternatively, the paths
could be covered in brick pavers. To restore the relic road, the encroaching
scrub trees and shrubs should be carefu{ly removed and the residual roots
treated to deter their regrowth. No regrading should be done in this area.
The relic road should be treated as a significant historic resource and Its
integrity preserved regardless of how the property is reused In the future.
62
Phase III -'IS" Priorities-,
14. Electrical Service — installation of a new underground electrical service to
the house is recommended. Initially, only minimal electrical usage will be
require for such things as the ventilation system and security system.
Expanded restoration of the house will trigger greater power usage.
16116. South Porch Reconstruction of the house's south porch and basement
entrance will require pre -construction archeology work adjacent to the
house to determine the presence of all footings and early below -grade
basement access steps. Salvaged porch millwork, including one section of
balustrade, brackets and posts are currently in storage. They should be
reused in the reconstruction and to design missing porch elements.
Reconstruction of the porch should be based on photo documentation, field
inspections and archeological findings. reconstruction of the basement
entrance and steps will require a close examination of surviving stone
elements and excavation patterns,
17. Summer Kitchen -- The summer Kitchen's original configuration needs to be
careful analyzed prior to making final decisions. Discussions with architect
for the house, Susan Licht, AIA, indicate that the north section was added at
a later time. The historic interpretative period of the house, likely the period
of Elizabeth Sutler Montgomery's occupancy from ca. 1868 M-1888,
predates the addition of the north section of the summer kitchen. This
section of 'the summer kitchen should be removed after complete
documentation. At this time the summer kitchen's original foundation
material and openings would be reestablished as well.
18. Interior Walls -� During the phased restoration of the house, interior walls will
be repaired and original room dimensions reestablished. Any non -original
openings will be closed. An efort should be made to document whether or
63
not the wood wainscoting in the west rooms of the basement and first floor
is original or a post-1888 addition. If it was in place during the thirty years
that Elizabeth Butler Montgomery occupied the house, it should be restored.
19. Central Staircase — The hardwood banister and newel post for the central
staircase were removed from the house prior to its acquisition by the City of
Iowa City. Individual spindles in the position of several local residents make
it likely that they were removed as souvenirs during the years that the
building stood abandoned. The availability of these salvaged pieces will
make reconstruction of the banister straightforward. No attempt should be
made to modify the narrow width of the stairs.
29. Floors -- The floors on the main and upper levels are In generally sound
condition. Careful research should be conducted of similar rural dwellings
from the mid-19t' century to determine the most likely finish used by
Elizabeth Butler Montgomery's family
21. Interior Doors and Trim -- The doors and millwork for the house may have
been manufactured on site or more likely purchased from a planning mill in
Iowa City. An effort should, be made to preserve the original dimensions of
openings and to restore the original finish of the window trim, doer trim and
baseboard.
Phase IV - "C" Priodt ess
22. Painting Interior Walls and Trim -- A paint analysis should be completed of
interior walls and trim. All interior surfaces should have surfaces restored to
match the colors and finishes Identified In the analysis. Portions of the trim
Wit likely require stripping and refinishing as well.
64
23. Heating System - The "C" priorities include completion of interior finishes
and installation of period furnishings that require that the building be heated.
A system of low-level heat supplied by the electric power supply available
on site is recommended in order to avoid the introduction of other fuels to
the site.
24. Historic Archeology -- This investigative work will involve testing to
determine the location of early privy site(s) and the north basement
entrance. Items found will became part of the historic collection for the site.
25. Wall Coverings — During completion of the 1998 stabilization work, early
wall coverings were recovered from the house and preserved. These will
need to be studied and dated to determine their age. If original wall
coverings cannot be identified, appropriate finishes should be adopted
based on a careful examination of the practices of similar families in
Johnson County in the mid-19t" century.
26. Historic Landscape y- This phase of the work will require retaining an historic
landscape architect to prepare a planting plan for the property based on
historic photographs and the known practices of mid-19th century farm
families in Johnson County. Work completed in earlier studies of the
property and site will be incorporated into this analysis.
27. North Porch — The present crude pediment that surmounts the north
entrance likely dates from the midµ20t" century. At the present time there is
no historic photographic record that reveals the original configuration of the
north entrance door hood. it is likely that during the course of restoration
photographs of the Douse will surface and it Is possible that its appearance
may be documented. Until such time, it is not recommended that this door
hood be rebuilt since its design would be Lased completely on speculation.
65
28. Basement Window Restoration -- the window openings and sash for the
lower level need to be rebuilt following a close inspection of the site
evidence to determine their original configuration and the design for window
wells.
29. Basement Interior Restoration - During the final phase of restoration, the
finishes of the floor, walls and ceiling in the basement will be restored using
a careful analysis of site evidence, A decision will be made regarding the
north basement entrance based on the findings of the historic archeological
Investigation.
30. Cement Stucco Removal and Restore Original Stucco Finish — The final
phase of restoration will include a series of masonry measures designed to
reestablish the original appearance of the exterior or the building. Before
work can begin, a careful analysis will need to be made to document the
number of layers present and their original composition, if the house was
originally completely stuccoed, a determination will need to be made
regarding preservation of exposed stone wall sections for Interpretation.
31. ADA Measures — During the final phase of restoration, access to portions of
the house's main floor will be established through the installation of a chair -
lift in the lower level of the summer kitchen. Modification in the Summer
Kitchen's north door may be necessary to provide access to the south
porch. It is not recommended that any interior openings in the house be
widened. Alternatively, a video tour of the house should be made ,available
to visitors.
"Onoe In operation, WtW Velll if cost to operate W Montgomery -Sutler Horse
as a historic eels and lnftMnWve c r?"
66
It was previously recommended that establishment of the Montgomery -Butler
House as a historic site and interpretive center should be accomplished in four
phases beginning with a start-up phase that would require a minimal capital outlay
followed by three development phases. Oversight for the Start -Up Phase would be
provided by the Montgomery -Butler House Task Force and City staff. The
development phases would be handled through a professional management
contract between the City of Iowa City and either an existing or new not -for -profit
organization.
Separate budgets outlined below suggest figures that might be expected for the
Start -Up Phase and later, once the building is fully up and running. Items that
have not been included in the budget include miscellaneous expenses for
preparing the site and general clean-up, cyclical maintenance work at the property
that will be needed as time passes, and emergency measures such as the removal
of fatten trees, a regular occurrence on wood lots such as the Montgomery --Butler
House site.
Operation of the interpretive center by a not -for -profit such as the Johnson County
Historical Society would involve the organization developing a tour structure for the
property, completing outreach to local schools and civic groups, handling
promotion of the property through media contacts, scheduling tours for school
groups and adult visitor groups, and handling coordination for special events. If
guided tours are restricted to pre -scheduled time slots, these activities'could likely
be coordinated by a quarter to half-time staff person with volunteers used to assist
with the completion of various tasks.
Because of the nature of the site, it is not recommended that the property be kept
accessible during the winter months. To take advantage of interpreting the site
from early spring through fall, an eight -month operation schedule extending from
late March through October is recommended. Preliminary discussions with the
67
Johnson County Historical Society indicates an interest by their organization in
discussing the framework for a management contract and fee structure.
Expense Item
Cost Estimate Range
Marra omen_Contract
$0
Electricity---
$100
Telephone (for security
s stem
$600
Promotional Materials
-
A-0-Grounds Maintenance
$500
Security S stem _
$900
'DOTAL
-1,200
_._ $20100 - $2,400
ULL O� ��tAfft
Expense Item
Cost Estimate range
Management Contract
$10,000 - 20,000
Electricity (including heat,
ventilation)
$600 - 3,000
Telephone (for security
system)
$60 --10 000
Promotional Materials
$2,U00 W ti 000
Grounds Maintenance
$$1000 - 6,000
Security SysWm
-1200
TOTAL
�$g00
$17,100 - 38, Q4
"What funding solumes for rwtoration wodi and operehon should be
pursued?"
Funding for restoration of the Montgorrwery-Butler blouse and the creation of the
infrastructure necessary to operate the house as a historic site and interpretive
68
center should be drawn from a combination of sources including government
grants, privately funded grants or foundations, individual or corporate contributors,
special events, and the City of Iowa City. As noted earlier, dozens of municipalities
in Iowa own and operate historic buildings for a wide range of purposes. The merit
of municipalities taking a leadership position in preserving buildings through
ownership and responsible historic rehabilitation has been proven repeatedly
across the country.
By dividing the restoration of the Montgomery -Butler Fuse into three workable
phases, both funding and development can be achieved at a moderate pace.
Since the properly is and will continue to be publicly owned, it is recommended
that the first phase of restoration work be undertaken using a mix of municipal
funds and government grants. As a new development, a "leadership contribution"
to the Montgomery -Butler House will likely be necessary by the City. As the
house's operation takes root in the community and a support base develops,
subsequent restoration should be sought with the support of grants and private
contributions.
Once the Montgomery -Butler House is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places late this year or early next year, it will be eligible for matching grants
through two programs administered by the State Historical Society of Iowa. The
RF-AP/Histodcal Resource development Program (REAP/HRDP) is funded by the
Resource Enhancement and Protection Act (REAP) established in 1989. The
program is directed at preserving and enhancing Ipwa`s natural and cultural
resources with collaboration encouraged among various levels of government.
Moderate sized grants in the $10,000 to $20,000 aria most likely from this program.
Further information regarding submittal deadlines and application procedures can
be secured by or by contacting Lavon Grimes with this State Historical Society at
�avon.Ct mes@�dc .state. �. s or by checking online at iowahis, t y.
9Bjgc ,fgnts/shsi aragMiLgp/app orocess html.
In 1998, the second program, the Historic Site Preservation Grant Program
(HSPG), was established for the restoration, preservation, and development of
historical sites through the "Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund" Funds are provided
In the form of grants covering one-half of the total eligible project costs. These
grants are generally larger than HRDP grants. Further information regarding
submittal deadlines and application procedures can be secured from Cynthia Nieb,
Grant Programs Manager with the state Historical Society at
Cynthlg: Nieb aQdca.stateJa.0 or online at lowahistorr. oralarants/shsi
strantsJhsaomsac.html.
A third program administered by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, the Iowa
Community Cultural Grant program, offers financial support for projects which
support the development of Iowa's cultural and historical resources. Grants
ranging from $1,000•to $26,000 ate awarded to historic preservation, museum,
tourism, or ethnic heritage projects that are designed to "enhance Iowa's cultural
climate and which provide employment for Iowans while serving the general
public w As a result, these grants are rarely awarded to "brick and mortar" projects
and are more frequently given to operational support, including staffing, for specific
programs and special projects associated with historic or cultural resources. More
information can be obtained by contacting dill Hermann with the Iowa Arts Council
at iiil. nn dca.state.ia.us or online at ltur lafFa"rs.o /i .h
Another grant program that the Montgoi-eery-Butler House could qualify for is the
Challenge America Fast Track grant program through the National Endowment for
the .Arts. These grants are awarded "to support partnerships between arts
organizations and community groups that highlight the potentiael of the arts to
address key community concerns," Projects covered by this broadly stated
purposed include "efforts to make a community more livable by addressing civic
design issues, such as the preliminary planning for the design of buildings or public
spaces, or the design for restoration of historic structures." Grant requests may be
70
submitted for either $5,000 or $10,000. Guidelines for the program can be found
online at the National Endowment for the Arts web site, Wft.ada.goy,
Once the Montgomery -Butler House becomes operational, small special event or
limited program grants can be applied for through Humanities Iowa, a private,
nonprofit state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities with offices
located in Iowa City. The goal of Humanities Iowa is to create greater cultural
awareness through the humanities. Grants range from $1,000 to a maximum of
$10,000. The humanities includes several fields of study relevant to the
Montgomery -.Butler House - archeology, history, literature, and art history. More
information can be secured online at uiowa.edu/Mhumiowa/,
The number and variety of government programs with grant components are
constantly changing. In order to provide up-to-date information on federal
programs in late last year the Federal Commons Web portal went online at
pNa, ov/federM(commons. The site is intended to provide "one -stop shopping„ for
the entire federal grant application process. Applicants will eventually be able to
submit grant requests online and track their review. The site includes an excellent
search tool, a General Services Administration Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance at cNa.gg"t gk1icffa,.pm, tm.
In order to qualify for a number of grant programs offered by various government
agencies and private foundations, it will be wise to continue to promote an
expansive view of the Montgomery -Butler house's rouse as an interpretive center.
As a historic site, it has strong linkages to Iowa City and Johnson County pioneer
life, American women's history, Iowa River Valley history, transportation history,
architectural history and agricultural history. Its proposed use for interpreting
geological history and the environment enhances its capacity to serve as an
educational resource. Its location along the Iowa River Corridor Trail qualifies it as
a trail amenity and convenient access to travelers along Interstate-80 has the
potential to make it a tourist destination. Add to these factors, the house's
71
advantageous location in an important new rnunlclpal park, and the opportunity for
qualification of a wide range of grants and foundation programs is enhanced.
it is recommended that as the operation of the site matures, consideration be given
to a community -wide capital fund drive. Such an effort typically begins with
establishing a fundraising committee and recruiting a chair or co-chairs to guide
the effort for a period of six months to a year. A written case statement is prepared
that spells out in clear and pithy terms the mission for the Montgomery -Butler
House historic site and the benefits to be seen from preserving the house and
making it available to the public. Other elements of a written case statement
typically Include a brief history of the project with a chronology of the events
leading up to the creation of then capital fund drive. A description of haw the funds
will be spent and a site plan and/or floor plan showing how the property will
function will be especially important in the case of the Montgomery -Butler House
where many potential givers may still be unfamiliar with the property.
A case statement should also include annual income/expense projections for the
property once it is in operation; a list of funding sources or major pledges to date; a
list of major capital needs and the endowment goad; a breakdown of the anticipated
number and size of gifts needed to meet the fund drive goal; and a list of the
fundraising committee members and their positions in the community.
The merits of retaining a fundraising consultant to guide a capital fund drive should
also be considered. Factors to evaluate in making this decision will include the
size of the capital fund drive, whether or not a substantial portion of this goal can
be committed to in advance, and the experience of those involved with
shepherding the fundraising effort with capital fund drives of a similar scale.
Consideration was given to the possibility of launching a capital fund ddVe prior to
completing any restoration work of the site or beginning operations. This idea was
rejected for several reasons. Unlike many community projects, the creation of the
72
Montgomery -Sutler House does not have a ready-made audience of users and
supporters to readily translate into contributors. These will need to be developed
over time.
Second, because the property will be a City -owned facility, potential contributors
expect to see municipal leadership demonstrated in planning, funding and
managing the site. The City has begun to demonstrate this leadership with its
investment in stabilization and completing this feasibility study.
Third, despite Iowa City's sophistication on many levels, relatively few solely
community -based projects have been developed and undertaken as a result of
large-scale capital fund drives. Community facilities such as 'YMCAs, performing
arts centers, theaters, art museums, and botanical centers have been successfully
developed in many Iowa communities of smaller population that have a long
tradition of coordinated fundraising efforts. Iowa City has been blessed by the
presence of a large number of facilities funded and maintained by the University of
Iowa. Although local residents have generously supported these facilities, they
have not had to beer the exclusive cost of their development.
The fourth and final reason for not recommending launching a capital fund drive for
the Montgomery -Butler House now is that the timing does not appear to be right.
The past eighteen months have seen the launching of efk►rts to preserve the
historic F-nglert Theatre. Creation of a hot«for-profit 501c(3) organization, the
Englert Civic Theatre, Inc., to lead the effort has been done with tremendous
community effort and energy. Until such time as this project is further along,
launching a major capital fund drive to support the Montgomery -Sutler House
would be inappropriate and potentially crippling to both projects. A better course is
to wait until the Englert Theatre is a demonstrated success, and then build on the
public good will developed in its wake.
73
If a capital fund drive is eventually selected as a means for funding Phases 11 and
III for the Montgomery -Butler House, a side benefit will be the opportunity to build
support for future operations. Donors frequently become the basis for an ongoing
membership program and volunteers to staff operations and special events.
Establishment of an endowment to fund operations of the Montgomery -Butler
House historic site and interpretive center should be considered. Should a fund
drive be considered, an endowment goal should be included as a part of f.
Endowments for historic house museums are usually established for operations
and/or capital Improvements. Income earned by the endowment flows to the
museum operations or improvement project based on a specific dollar amount
needed or, more often, as a percentage of the total return. Policy statements
governing endowments can be as elaborate or simple as the governing body
chooses. The endowment funds are generally invested under the direction of an
oversight board and an experienced investment committee. Many funds allow up
to 60% of the annual earned income to be spent on operations — including cyclical
improvements, with approximately 10% used to pay for fund management and
custodial fees and the remaining 40% used to cover inflation by being returned to
the corpus.
To avoid the ups and downs of robust and lean years, an alternate endowment
income formula similar to that of Harvard University`s endowment fund might be
adopted. Established in 1073, this formula assumes a balanced investment
portfolio for an endowment with approximately half in stocks and half in bonds or
short-Wrm reserves, In the first year, an amount equal to 4% of the endowmenvs
total value is taken. In subsequent years, the dollar amount of the previous -years
withdrawal is increased by the previous years inflation rate.
In some cases, museums establish separate endowments to fund operating
budget needs and capital improvement needs with different policies governing the
74
money earned from each fund. A two-tier endowment structure may be worth
considering for the Montgomery -Butler House. Such a structure allows for
accumulation of earnings for larger projects and avoids the temptation of using all
of the income from a single endowment fund for operating expenses.
In order to generate sufficient income to fund the Montgomery -Butler House's
entire operating budget of $17,000 to 38,000 annually, an endowment fund of
approximately $426,000 to $€ 50,000 would be needed. These endowment income
estimates are derived using the Harvard endowment fund plan. if less than the full
amount of the budget is expected to corm from endowment income, it follows that
the corpus could be smaller.
Another area of funding examined as a part of this feasibility study was the
potential for grant support from private foundations. The fields of interest :and
limitations on giving for approximately 100 foundations operating in Iowa were
investigated. Only a few identify historic preservation or historical projects as
major fields of interest or categories funded, Natural resource conservation and
protection as well as community development are separate categories under which
restoration of the Montgomery -Butler House and site might qualify for grants.
Appendix 3 contains a list of potential Iowa -based foundations that should be
approached for support once the restoration and reuse plan has been adopted.
Although a number of nationally -based foundations provide funding for historic
preservation projects, the qualifying projects are usually of national significance. In
cases where they are not, the award is based on the geographic location of the
project in an area connected to the long-standing interest of the foundation or the
home of a foundation's corporate affiliate. Several foundations or corporate
funding programs with Iowa City -based affillates should be pursued when and if a
capital fund drive is launched.
15
Potential sponsors or partners should be recruited for various aspects of the
Montgomery -Butler House project based on their shared interest. For example,
Friends of Historic Preservation's organizational mission includes the preservation
of historic buildings while the Johnson County Historical Society focuses on
museum and education programs. Both organizations expressed a willingness to
assist in developing the Montgomery -Butler House. Leaders of local Quester
chapters, organizations interested in antiques and historic interiors, expressed a
willingness to .explore potential funding opportunities through their organizations. A
representative of the University of Iowa identified a connection through the Iowa
River while leaders of other museums in the oommunity expressed an interest in
coordinating programs once the Montgomery -Butler Horse is operating as a
historic site. There was strong evidence offered during the feasibility study
process of a willingness to collaborate in order to make the house a successful
historic site.
"What are the steps the City of Iowa City should take to establish the
f9lontgomery-Butler House Historic Site and Interpretive Center?"
Converting the Montgomery -Butler House to a public historic site has begun with
the completion of this feasibility study and report, Considerable thought by
community representatives, City Staff, and elected officials has already taken
place. When viewed as a single task conversion of the Montgomery -Butler House
is daunting. If divided into discrete tasks the project becomes manageable even if
no less daunting. An outline of the steps necessary foilows.
76
9. City Council adapts the feasibility study report recommendation that the
Illlontgomory-Butler House be reused as a historic site and Interpretive
center.
2. City Council establishes a Montgomery -Butler House Task Force and
names its members. This group should include several local civic leaders;
representatives of potential partnering organisations such as the Johnson
County Historical Society, the Friends of Historic Preservation, Project Green,
the University of Iowa and Questers; and City staff members from the
departments of Planning and Community Development, Parks and Recreation,
and the Water Treatment Plant. Include a minimum of five and maximum of
seven individuals in addition to the City staff representatives. Distribute copies
of feasibility study to these individuals.
3. City Council assigns responsibility for -staffii ng the Montgomery -Butler
House Task (Force to representatives of the Planning and Community
Development Department, Parks and Recreation Department and Water
Treatment Plant. To date, lead responsibility has been assigned to Planning
and Community Development with oversight provided by the Iowa City Historic
Preservation Commission. Several maintenance tasks have been performed at
the site by staff working for the !parks and Recreation Department. Because of
the immediate proximity of the house to the new Iowa City Water Treatment
Plant, it is recommended that a representative of this operation be added to the
City staff involved with the property for purposes of communication. Lead
responsibility could be continued with Planning and Community Development
or transferred to Parks and Recreation depending on an assessment of staff
capabilities. In either case, close coordination should be maintained for
purposes of developing Waterworks Park.
4. under the direction of the f ontgomeiry-Butler House Task Force and
drawing on the feasibility sturdy ireport, a concise statement should be
77
prepared outlining the plan for reusing the house. Civic clubs and
community groups should be identiied for purposes of distributing information
about the house. A short slide show suitable for group presentations should be
developed from images assembled for the community planning workshop.
Task Force members should make presentations about the house's reuse plan
to community groups.
S. The first phase of start-up measures Including preliminary security steps
should be completed. These measures would include the installation of
overhead electrical service, the addition of a telephone line to the properly, and
the Instalistion of a security system to monitor access to the house.
Construction of an improved access road, a small parking lot south of the
house, and a trail spur connecting the house to the Iowa Diver Corridor Trail
should be completed, Temporary interpretive signs should be installed.
S. The house and site should be readied for a public open house and private
tours for prospective donors and volunteer groups, This will be the first
public showing of the house and site. It should be timed for a time of the year
when the site is most presentable — spring most likely. An advance clean-up of
the site should be a volunteer activity with assistance provided by City workers
in hauling away debris. Temporary access steps to the house will need to be
built and the tour should be advertised as having limited accessibility for the
disabled to the constraints of the building. Trained volunteers versed in the
plans for the house should be stationed in the house and throughout the site to
provide information and answer questions. The event could be modest or more
expansive depending on the creativity of the Task Force. The goal is to
introduce the house to the community and plant the seeds for Its introduction as
a historic site with an Intriguing story to tell visitors.
T. A funding plan should be prepared for the first phase of work that
Included a major leadership commitment from the City of Iowa City. The
7s
first question asked by potential funders be they foundations, government
granting agencies, or individual contributors is generally "what are you giving to
the project?" Without a strong and enthusiastic financial commitment by the
City of Iowa City, raising funds from others will be extremely difficult. The City
should submit grant and foundation funding requests after it has budgeted its
own commitment.
8. Once funding has been +established to Initiate construction, efforts should
continue to give restoration of the house a higher profile In the
community. This Includes regular efforts to publicize and promote the
activities involved in support of the project, continued presentations to civic
clubs and groups, outreach to school children and hosting of special events.
9. A management contract should be drafted for operation of the
Montgomery -Butler House once It is operational. This step could be
introduced at an earlier point if responsibility for coordinating promotional
activities and volunteer recruitment is made a part of the contract. The contract
fee will initially be an expense of the City of Iowa City.
10.Once the second phase of restoration of the house is well underway, the
public should be introduced to the [Montgomery -Butler House through
one or more special events.
11.Coordination of the Interpretive program at the Montgomery -Butler House
with nature programs and tours at Waterworks Park and the new Water
Treatment Plant should be encouraged. Collaboration with other visitor
attractions in the area will be important to the house's success. They include
historic sites (Old Capitol, Plum Grove, Johnson County Heritage Museum and
the Herbert Hoover Birthplace), museums (Museum of Natural History,
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Medical Museum, and University of
Iowa Art Museum), and special attractions (Carver Hawkeye Arena, Hawkeye
79
Mall of Fame and Visitor Center, lake MacBride Raptor Center, Hancher
Auditorium, and the Devonian Fossil Gorge).
12.Once operations are firmly established, fundralsing from various souses
forr 4he second and third phases of work should commence. Consideration
should be given to a capital fund drive in the community designed to see
restoration completed for the house's 15& anniversary in 2008. Timing of the
fund drive so as not to conflict with other fundralaing efforts in the community
will be critical to its success.
13. An endovwrnont fund should be established to support all or a portion of
the house's ongoing operation as a historic site,
so
J. .'SOT
Interviews and Correspondence.
Jeff Davidson, Planning and Community Development, City of Iowa City
Brad Neumann, Planning and Community Development, City of Iowa City
Robert Miklo, Planning and Community Development, City of Iowa City
Terry Trueblood, Director, Parks and Recreation Department
Terry Robinson, (Forester, Parks and Recreation Department
John Yapp, Planning and Community Development, City of Iowa City
Carol Sweeting, Public Works, City of Iowa City
Scott Kugler, Vierbicher Associates, Madison, WI (formerly with City of Iowa City)
Susan Licht, AIA, and member of Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission
Richard Carlson, member of Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission
Colette Pogue, member of local Quester chapter, Iowa City
Margaret Wieting, Executive Director, Johnson County Historical Society
Leigh Ann Jero, Johnson County Historical Society
Helen Pinken, Iowa City Schools
Ann E. Smothers, Old Capitol Director
Jean Prier, Senior Research Geologist, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Julia Golden, Acting Director, Museum of Natural History, University of Iowa
David Brenzel, Education Director, Museum of Natural History, University of Iowa
Linda Kopping, Coordinator, Iowa City Senior Center
Marie Neubauer, photographer
81
82
Appendix 1: Workshop Invitation and Attendee (*) List
Montgomery -Butler House Community Planning Wofthop
Participant Invitation List - April 24, 2001
Jackie Briggs, Director - Friends of Historic Preservation*
Jeff Schabilion, President - Friends of Historic Preservation*
Mary NeuhaEuser, Director - Johnson County Heritage Trust
John Chadima, President - Johnson County Historical Society
Margaret Wieting, Executive Director - Johnson County Historical Society*
Leigh Ann Jero — Johnson County Historical Society*
Casey Cook - Friends of Iowa River Scenic Trail
Terry Dahms - Friends of tows River Scenic Trail
Steven Poggenpohl - Bicyclists of Iowa City, inc.
Gregory Kovaciny - Bicyclists of Iowa City, Inc.
Sheila Boyd - Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce
Anne Hesse, President - Project Green
A.K. Traw
Brian Witzke, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Geological Survey Bureau
Dave Merrill - North Liberty Community Canter
Julie Johnson - Parks and Recreation Department, City of Coralville
Wendy Forst - Iowa City-Coralville Convention & Visitor's Bureau
Rex Preuss
Melanie Haupert
Susan Licht, AiA - Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission
John Shaw, AIA
Jan Nash, Tail Grass Historians
Helen Finken, Iowa City School District
Brad Colton, Grant Wood ABA
Richard Carlson - Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission'
I" Wilson, University of Iowa*
Jim Walters - Johnson County Songbird Project, Inc.*
Colette Pogue -- Questers, Project Green*
Luella Puhrman, Plum Grover Questers*
Merle Puhrman*
Carol Seydel, Old Capitol Questers
Margaret Loomer, Robert Lucas Questers
Sherry McKay, Rose Hill Chmsiters
Heidi Hodge, Qotagoh Questers
Cherry Sparks, Questers
Nola Edwards, Questers*
Cinalle Swaim*
Michael Gunn, Chair, Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission
Ann Bovbjerg, Chair, Iowa City Planning & Zoning Commission*
Craig Gustaveson, Iowa City Park & Recreation Commission*
Barbara Bndel, Iowa City Park & Recreation Commission*
Jeff Davidson, City of Iowa City, Planning & Community Development*
Bob Miklo, City of Iowa City, Planning & Community Development*
Brad Neuman, City of Iowa City, Planning & Community Development*
John Kapp, City of Iowa City, Planning & Community Development*
Terry Trueblood, City of Iowa City, Parks & Recreation*
Terry Robinson, City of Iowa City, Parks & Recreation
Chuck Schmadeke, City of Iowa City, Public Works
Ed Mereno, City, of Iowa City, Public Works*
Carol Sweeting, City of Iowa City, Public Works*
83
Appendix 2.
The !draft Wationai Register of historic Piacea Nomination prepared by
Richard Carlson, June 1, 2001 and submitted to the State Historical Society
of Iowa for consideration on October 12, 2001.
84
NIPS Form 10-900 OMS No.10024-0010
(Oct. 1990)
United States Department of the Interior
National Dark Service
National Register of Historic Place
Registration Form
This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual rhea and districts. See instructions in How to complete the National
Register of Nb(or c Places 134siration Form (National Register Bulletin t 1 A plate each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or by entering
the information requested. If an item does not apply to the properly being documented, enter "WR for "not applicable." For functions, architectural
classification, materials and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the Instructions. Place additional entries and narrative
items on +Continuation sheets (NPS Form 10400a). Use a typewriter, word processor, or oamputer, to complete all Kam
name
other nameslsite number _ _. Butler House
city or town Iowa QjW [, j vicinity
state I. owa code 16 county Johnson code 103 zip code §ZZ4
3.tat eder
al Agincy dg!ftaon
As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this U nomination L1
request for determination of eligibility y meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Vistoric
Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property U meets Lj
does not most the National Register criteria, I recommend that this property be considered significant
U nationally U statewide [V j locally. (U we continuation sheet for additional comments).
Signature of certifying oflidaUidle Date
State or Federal agency and bureau
In my opinion, the property U meets U does not meet the National Register criteria. (L.3 See continuation sheet for additional
comments.)
Signature of certifying officiav'ritle Date
State or Federal agency and bureau
L.i entered in the National Register.
L.] See continuation sheet.
U determined eligible for the
National Register.
0 See continuation sheet.
U determined not eligible for the
National Register.
L.l removed from the National
Register.
other, (explain:)
as
qtg s_�Jer House lows Citv
Nerne of Property
(Chock as marry boxes as apply)
(Chuck only one
L.I Ovate
Ug building(
RU PUWAOCSI
U district
L j publil to
U site
Lj public -Federal
U stmcture
U object
Name of related multiple property listing .
(Enter "N/M if property is not port of a multiple property fisting,)
M
Functdor► ( Use
Historic Functions
(winter categories from instructions)
A1M - t _ !
,, AM-
..
_ L.A i s
Wrft W"ones hm instructions)
MIpp7 ail I GNl UF2YMreek Revivst
(tin not include previously listed resources in the count.)
Contributing Noncontributing
7 1 buildings
_ �— �— sites
structures
objects
Total
Number of contributing resources previously fisted
in the National Register
Current Functions
(Inter categories from instructions)
(Enter categories front Instructions)
foundation ff_OMgdhQone
wails $jUgDa
other
Narrative Owilptipn � —
kDOWtre firs hio ft And curt' nt condition of the property on ow or mops oonUnustion sh 6.)
86
r Ho se i
Ptame of petty
gs gwn anlicanae
Applicable Mational Register Criteria
(Mark Y in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the ptoporiy
for National Register listing.)
ade
A a sg ifican coniribution to he broad Is associated with events apatternsmof
our history.
U R Property is associated with he lives of persons
significant in our past.
U C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics
of a type, period, or method of construction or
represents the work of a master, or possesses
high artistic values, or represents a significant and
distinguishable entity whose components lack
individual distinction.
D PropeInforrmfitionsimport important in is prehistory likely to prehistory yield, r history.
Criteria Considerations
(Mark Y in so the boxes that appiy.)
Property is:
U A owned by a religious institution or used for
religious purposes.
[ j D removed from its original location.
[, C a birthplace or grave.
D a cemetery.
[_] E a reconstructed building, object, or structure.
Lj IF a commemorative property.
Lj Cv less than 50 years of age or achieved significance
within the past 50 years.
Narrative Statement of Significance
(Ekrlain the significance of the propertY on one or more oontinuatian sheets.)
MhnW County. tQ�
County and
Areas of Significance
(Finter categories from instructions)
ARCHITEC7ilRE
Period of Significance
ig5 im
Significant D0189
Significant Person
(Comp%W if Criterion 8 Is markets above)
Cultural Affiliation
Architecti t,tlider
u kno
Dior Sibllonrszaittcal R+s'feraace
Bibliography
(Cite the books, aritcies, and other sources used in preparing this form
Previous documentation on file (MPS):
on one or more continuation sheets.)
Primary iocation of additional data:
U preliminary determination of individual listing
State Historic PreservationMice(3B
HOther State agency
OFR 67) has been requested
U previously listed in the National Register
L...I Federal agency
Li previously determined eligible by the National
IM Local government
Register
U designated a National Historic landmark
I University
(,,,,] tither
j recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey
Name of repository.
[ ] recorded by Historic American Engineering
Record #
87
mn.county. tours
County and Starts
UM Referemes
(Place addifional tTrM references on a continuation street.)
f6208481 R6164141. 2 j_ U I 1 1 .1 1 1 i 1..1.1 1.1 1 J
Zone East►ng Northing zone Easting Northing
i1111.11 f_1.111111 4LUjI I I 1 .1 L111111
Lj See continuation sheet
Verbal Boundary Description
(Desoribe the boundaries of the property on a continuation sheet.)
80untdary Justification
(FXPW why the+ boundaries were selected on a continwation sheet.)
11, o re B
name/title Wichard Carlsqn,
organization taws City lilstadc Presor Latt¢n Commissi date _
t & number _410 E ,,Z s inctton St? telephoner (319) 35"23.g
city or town Iowa City state Ili , ,,,_„w„_d zip code 52240
n [ Docu9sntatign
Submit the foNdwing r%ta with the complete form:
X Mi t .z r,�
A USGS map (7,5 or 15 minute series) Indicating the property's location.
A Sketch map f+or historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources.
Representative black and white photographs of the property.
Additional home
(Check with the Sr•iPO or FPO for any addidwal items)
PEMKt
(Compete this Rem at the request of SH O or F .)
name City of lower 0y
street & number 410 E. fthi�,cgt. n�Street . telephone . ( 19 5 0 .
city or town _ (MGi(yy state LA , , „ zip code 52224Q., ,
Pnopertias for Fiet3ng or determine ergibillty for listing, to list prnpies, and to amend e)istlrrp GstingS. Ftespanse to this request is required to obtain a
benefit in accordance withh the National Historic Preservation Ark, as amandad (A U.S.C. 4itj et seq.),
Ssitlmated Burden Statement; Publio reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 18.1 hours per response including tlrne for reviewing
instructions, gathering and Millntairling data, and oonvieting and rmAswinq the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estknate or any aqpect of
this form to the Chief, AdminWsabVe Services Dion, National Rack Bernd, P.O. Box M27, Washington, DC 20013-7127; ant tha Office of
Managoment. and Budget, Paperwmrk Redo Wns Pv*cts (1024-0018). WashingtW DC 20503.
88
NP8 Penn 10 AUO.s OMB Approval W 1094-WO
(am)
United States Department of the Interior
National bark Service
Nationai Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number.,..' b page I
Descriptiow,
The Montgomery -Butler House, also known as the Butler Mouse, is part of a former farmstead located on a bluff that
overlooks the Iowa River at the northern edge of Iowa City. The farmstead is situated at a bend in the river near the
Dubuque Street bridge, The property includes a stone house, built in the lane 1850s, a partially collapsed double crib
dating from the first half of the twentieth century, and several stone or concrete foundations of former agricultural
outbuildings built between the mid nineteenth century and the mid -twentieth century. The site also contains part of an old
road grade that formerly extended west from the present route of Dubuque Street, past the house and barn, and down to a
ford on the Iowa River. Because of the small number of extant resources on this property, the property is nominated as a
building rather than as a district. Three feateeres of the site, all of which date to the mid -nineteenth century, are considered
contributing elements: the house, stone foundation of a Former barn, and mad ,grade. Non-contributing features include
the crib and three concrete foundations.
Home. This house is a 1%-story, double -pile house with a center hall and a full basement. It exhibits elements of
the Greek Revival style, including a frieze band, frieze band windows, open cornice returns, and a transom over the two
principal exterior doors.
The exterior walls of the Douse are constructed of uncoursed limestone rubble set in sand mortar. The exterior of
the house has been finished in gray stucco, which has broken off in places and has been patched with cement in others.
The stucco may be original to the house, or it may have been added in the late nineteenth century. It is shown in the
earliest available photographs of the house, which appear to date to the turn of the twentieth century 4 The modern
corrugated metal roof was placed over any earlier terne roof in 1998 as part of efforts to mothball the building. On the west
side of the house is a one-story frame additions that dates to between about 1880 and 1910. This shed -roofed additions
projects north beyond the north facade of the stone section, but it is flush with the south facade. The addition rests on a
foundation constructed primarily of concrete blocks, although the north end is support by bricks. It is clad in clapboard
siding. Parts of the north And west facades were covered in plywood in 1998 to protect areas where clapboards were
missing.
Although there is some question as to whether the north or the south facade was originally intended to be the front
facade, let later yearn- and possibly from the outset ---the south facade was UvaWd as the front facade.' A tun Anne -
style porch with turned posts and an open railing extended across the south facade from its construction in perhaps The
1880s until it was removed in 1998. The salvageable portions of this porch have been retained and could be used to
recoustru+ct a similar porch if that is determined to be desirable. It is not known what type of porch, if any, was present on
the house when it was first constructed.
The three bay front facade and rear facade each have a central door flanked by a window on each side. A single
frieze band window is centered above each door. At the west end of the south facade is a basement entrance. The east
gable end has one window in each bay on the first story, and two smaller gable windows. The west gable end may
originally have had the same configuration, but the first story is now covered by the frame addition. The north bay
These photographs are not reproduced in the present nomination. Most are located in the personal collection of Colette Pogue, Iowa
City, Iowa. The earliest known photograph that depicts the house is a photograph of Guy and Glenn Stevens, who are believed to have
lived in the house in the 1890s. See "Saving Butler house for history," Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Gazette, July 23,1995, included in the
Colette Pogue collection.
S Jan Nash, Intensive Level Architectural and Historical Survey of the Montgomery�Buticr House (1995), P. 9.
89
UPS Form aasDO-sr 0Affl Rpprgvernb. 1024-M8
United Stdes Department of the h4edor
National Perk Service
Hational Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Sermon nk mber 7 page 2
of the first story has a door between the stone house and the addition rather than a window. Other fenestration on the
stone section includes basement windows on all but the south facade.
The windows in the stone section were probably &6-light sash originally. The remains of one such window can
still be seen in the south bay of the west facade, between the stone house and the addition. Most of the windows were
replaced by 1/1-light sash prior to 1930 6 Windows on the frame addition included multi -light sash on the west facade,
and what appear from historic photographs to have been 6/6-light sdsh on the north facade. None of the glass remains in
any of the surviving sash. The windows and door openings, including those in the frame addition, are currently sealed by
ventilated plywood panels installed when the building wasmothballed.
The interior plan is very similar on all three stories, including the basement. Each story has one large room on the
west, and two smaller rooms of mughly equal size on the east. The two stories above the basement also have a aemtml
hall. This ball is offset slightly to the west, making the rooms on the east slightly wider than, those on the went.. In
addition to the three principal rooms, the second story also has two closets. One is located at the north end of the center
hall, and the other at the north end of the west room.
All walls and ceilings in the house are or were finished in lath and plaster. The west room on the first story is the
only room in the stone section in which beaded board wainscoting has been applied over the lath and plaster. The frame
addition also has beaded board wamscoting. The lath and plaster ceilings on the second story of the stone section were
removed at the time the building was mothballed, but the boards to which the lath was nailed remain in plane. The
ceilings on the first story are approximately 7' 10" high, while those on the second story are approximately 0 4" high.
A staircase on the west side of the center hall connects the different stories. The newel post and railing of the
staircase between the first and second stories were evidently removed some years ago by vandals, although a few broken
spindles remain. The octagonal outline of the newel post can be seen in the floorboards at the foot of the stairs. Access to
the basement steps from the first story is gained timnigh an entrance located just inside the front door. The door to this
basement entrance is capped by a two -light transom. The basement has a concrete floor in the two main rooms and a dirt:
floor in the southeast room, which appears to have been used for cold storage. The stone walls of the basement are
finished in plaster.
The front and roar entrances in the stove section have decorative recessed panels in the jambs. The two doors are
surmounted by three -light transoms. Most of the original doors in the stone section are missing their original knobs and
locks, and have been removed from their hinges, but most remain in the building. All of the extant doors have four
panels. The interior door casings are constructed of simple unornamented boards. A few of these casings have been
removed, but most remain in place. lather interior finishes include baseboards in all rooms other than the wainscoted west
room on the first story, and cham&red window openings that narrow from the interior to the exterior wail.
Two moms on the first story have patterned floors. The floorboards an laid diagonally in the west room. In the
southeast room, they appear to be laid in oA mcentric rectangles, although a linoleum floor in this room conceals most of
the wood floor beneath it, The patterned floors have been laid over the original floor, and may not be original. The
central hall on the first story is raised to the same level as the patterned floors, and has the same type of floorboards
(varying between about 3Y. " and 3Y.-' in width), but its floorboards have the simple north -south orientation found
elsewhere in the house. On the second story, the floorboards vary between about 4" and 5%' in the center hall and large
west room. Wider floorboards, varying between about 5" and 7" , are found in the two west rooms on the second
'A photograph, dated March 1930, that depicts the house is included in Susan L. Licht and Johm Shaw, Mothball the .butler Horse
(1996). The original photograph is located in the collections ofdw State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City.
90
NP8 Fon 10-9m-a OAW Aepwal Na 1024-MIS
United States Department of the lnteaior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number 7 & 8 Page 3
story,as well as in the northeast room on the first story. The wider and less regularly sized floorboards were evidently
used in the less public areas.
The house has been wired for electricity, but no interior plumbing was ever installed, The stone section was
heated by stoves rather than fireplaces. The stoves were ventilated into chimney stacks at each gable end of the house.
These chimneys extend the full height of the house, from the basement floor to the roof.
Crib. This dilapidated crib appears to date to the early to mid -twentieth century. The east wall. and roof have
collapsed, and the other three walls arc leaning or partially collapsed. The building was originally a double crib with a
central drive aisle. It is clad in drop siding and rests on concrete piers. The roof appears to have been clad in composition
shingles.
Other, eatures. Although the house and the dilapidated crib are the only buildings now standing on the property,
the foundations of several former buildings can also be, seen. Those include the stone foundation of a older barn, a
concrete foundation of a newer barn, and at least two concrete foundations of smaller sheds or other outbuildings. An old
road grade extends in a roughly east west direction along the south litre of the property,. curving north towards the river as
it heads west. A row of osage orange frees line's the southern edge of the site, just south of the old road grade. Osage
orange hedges were commonly. planted as fencing in prairie states during the mid-niucteenth contury:
8. Statement of Significance
This house is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion C as an excellent and
largely unaltered example ofvernacular stone architecture with Greek Revival elements built in the Iowa City area in the
late 1850s. Further research is necessary to determine whether it may also be eligible under Criterion A, for its
association with the ferry on the scone property, and Criterion D, for the infor[uation potential of the site as an area. of
1850s settlement.. An archaeological investigation of the site conducted in 1997 found disturbed soils around the
buildings and no artifacts pre -dating the late ninotteenth century.a However, because the site is known to have been
occupied since 1853, and since certain important archaeological features, such as privy holes, were not located during this
investigation, further archaeological investigation may uncover artifacts relating to the site's early residential and
agricultural use, and perhaps also to the nearby sawmill sad ferry.
The period of significance of the property is limited to the period during which the site was occupied by the
Montgomery and Butler family. As described in greater detail below, this family was important to the history of the site
not only as the builders of the house, but as the operators of a sawmill and a ferry across the Iowa River, both of which
were located on the same property. The family moved to the site in 1853, about five years before the house was built, and
apparently left shortly after Eiizubeth. Butler died in 1889. The period 1853-1899 is therefore taken to be the period of
significance. Tine only significant date during this period is ca. 1958, the date ofconsliwtion of the stone house.
'Nash, p.11.
s Robert C. Vogel, Michelle K Terrell, and David G. Stanley, Phase II Cultural Resources Investigation of the !Historic Butler
Farmstead (Ioduding Archaeological Site 13JH714), City oflowa City, Johnson County, Iowa (1997), p. 41.
91
NPP4 Fam, ID-Vi-s OAB APA%nW No. 024-WfA
United %dea Department of the interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Contin>u tIon Sheet
Section number _ Pa9e.4
The exact date of construction of the stone house is not known. However, valuations of the property made in
185+6 and 1859 suggest that the house was built between those two years 9 The Greek Revival elements on the house are
consistent with a construction date between the 1840s and the 18609. The house was built for ]Elizabeth Galbreath Butler
Montgomery, widow of Walter Butler (died 1.844) and later of Martin M. Montgomery (died 1855).
Because the property is better twown for its later ownership by"Butler descertdants of Walter and Elizabeth
Butter, the house is generally referred to locally as the Butler House,. Similarly, the former landing and bridge on the
Iowa River historically associated with the house were known as Butler's Landing and Butler's Bridge. However,
because the house was first built for Elizabeth Montgomery and her children, and because its owners and occupants
dudug the period of significance included both Elizabeth Montgomery and her Butler children, it is more accurate to refer
to the house as the Montgomery Butler House, the narric used here.
A road that passed by the film site of the Montgomery -Butter House on the way down to a ford in the Iowa
River was one of the earliest in the area. This road is shown: on a General Land Uffiice neap surveyed between 1839 and
1841, Historic maps appear to indicate that the older road was abandoned in favor of the present route of Dubuque Street
prior to 109. The intact section of" fora ner road on the Montgomery -Butler House site is included as a significant
contributing resource in the present nomination.
The land an which the house stands was first sold by the federal government to a private yawner in 1944. No
building is ilmown to have been constructed on the pmperly until 1948, however, when Alphonso 13. Newcomb and James
P. Miller built a steam sawmill along the Iowa River near the ford. This two -acre mill situ was sold in 1850 to Martin M.
Montgomery, who at the time owned a sawmill on the west back of the Iowa River is what is now CoraIA1%
approximately two miles downstream from the MontgomeryButler House.
The same year that; Montgomery bought Newcomb and Miller's sawmill, he was married to Elizabeth (Galbreath)
Butler, widow of Iowa City pioneer Walter Butler. At the time of her second marriage, Elizabeth had had several children
by Walter Butler, Martin Montgomery, who also had been married previously, aplxrrently had no children by either of his
two wives.
The Montgomery family lived in Coralville until 1853, when Martin Montgomery purchased 14.24 acres 4acent
to the mill site he had purchased in 1850. He moved with his family to this property, now the site of th.o Montgomery -
Butler Housethat sumo yow According to Martine Van Lamm Buhr, son of Walter and Elizabeth Butler, after their 1853
move to dais site, they occupied "a board shanty in the timber north of Iowa City.»10 This indicates that the stone house
had not yet b m built at the time the family moved to the property. noted earlier, other records indicate that the stone
house was most likely constructed between 1856 and 1459, with the upstairs possibly completed or remodeled in the
1860s.
Martin Montgomery died just two years after moving to this site, in 1855, and before the construction. of the
pnmat house. His widow and her children continued to live on the she until at least the time of Elizabeth Montgomery's
death in 1888. Before his death, Martin Montgomery had operated a ferry service across the Iowa River
9 In 1856, the land was valued at $150, the same price at which Martin Montgomery purchased it in 1853. By 1859, the land was
valued at $800, suggesting that the stone house was built by then. Later census records value the laud at at last $1,000. Although the
house Wpm to have been built between 1856 and 1859, additional work on, the upstairs may have bacon dome during the 1t360s. At
the time the louse was mothballed in 1998,, an account book of acne ofthe early occupants. of the houses, Thomas Butler, was found
behind the lath in the upstairs hall. Although most of the entries in this book date to the 1850s, a few smudged pencil notations appear
to date to 1862 or 1863. While this may indicate that the house was not completed until the mid-1860s, it is also possible that the
'book was sealed in the wall during u later remodeling oftlie upstairs.
10 Fsther Stratton, "An Old Settler's Story' (1923), p. 2. Located in the collection labeled $BSI. MS 22, in the State Historical sty
of Iowa, Iowa City.
92
NP8 Form IQ-W" OMS ApWOW No, 102+WO
(Ga)
United stags Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Section number S & 9 Page S
in conjunction with his sawmill. Although the sawmill was dismantled around 1857 or 1858, the ferry service continued)
long afterwards. The site later came to be known as Butler's Landing, named for the sons of Walter and Elizabeth Butler
who lived on the site and operated the ferry in addition to farming the land. John W. Butler and his wife
Elizabeth stayed on the site the longest, living there until after the death of Elizabeth Montgomery in 1888.
A ferry is shown at the location of the present Dubuque Stred bridge on historic landowner maps published in
1859 and 1870, but not on later maps. Historic neaps do not show a bridge in this location until 1917. No bridge is shown
on ruses published in 1889 or 1900, although no ferry is depicted on these maps either. It is not certain how long the ferry
remained in operation, or whether any bridge was built prior to the twentieth century. The £ust bridge on this site,
replaced only recently, was known as Butler's Bridge.
The farm continued to be owned by members of the Butler family until 1944, although there is no evidence that
any Butler ftumity members occupied the property after about 1890. The property was rented to various families until
1944, and continued to be operated as a farmm until the 1970s. Most of the extgnt buildings on the farm in the 1970s were
built in the early to mid -twentieth century. With the exception of the double crib, now partially collapsed, none of the
outbuildings on the property survive.
The property stood vacant for about two decades before it was acquired by the City of .Iowa City in the 19908 as
part of land purchased for the construction of a. new water treatment plant. The city has set aside 4.28 acres within the
water treatment park, including the stone house, to be developed as a cultural resource. The house was mothballed in
1998, preserving it until an appropri ite futare use for the building can be determined. The house will likely function as an
interpretive center along a regional trail system.
9. Major Bibliographical References
Licht, Susan L., and John Shaw. Mothball the Butler House and Building Assessment of the Montgomery -Butler Home.
Companion typescripts with photographs and plans. Submitted to the City of Iowa City, March 1,1996. Copy on
file, Department of Planning and Community Development, Iowa City.
Nash, Jan. Intensive Level Architectural and Historical Survey of the Montgomery�Butler House. Typescript prepared
by Jan Nash, Tallgram Historians, Iowa City Iowa, November 24,1995, Submitted to Susan L. Licht and John F.
Shaw, rows City, Iowa. Included in Susan L. Licht and John Shaw, Building Assessment of the Montgomery -Butler
House, cited above.
Pogue, Colette. Research collection, Located in the Office of Plantring and Community Development, City of Iowa City,
Iowa City, Iowa.
Stratton„ Esther. "An Old Settler's Story." This oral history interview with Martin Van Buren Butler is Esther Stratton's
entry in a history essay contest for high school students, sponsored in 1923 by the State Historical Society of Iowa and
the Iowa Federation of Wopmen's Clubs. The essays are located in the collection labeled SHSL MS 22, in the State
HIstorical Society of Iowa, Iowa City,
Vogel, Robert C.,.Michelle M. Terrell, and David G. Stanley. Phase HCultural Resources Investigation of the Historic
Butler Farmstead (Including Archaeological Site 13JH714), City of Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa. Prepared for
thetvCity of Iowa City, )February 1997. Copy on file, Department of Planning and Community Development, Iowa
sus FUi tau-SM-6 o�wa npprovar No. 1oa4�ofs
93
,
Unked StaUm Department of the Itnterior
National Park Services
Mationai Register of Historic Places
Continuation Shoot
Seeflon number 10 page §
10. Verbal Boundary Description
The nominated property includes 4.28 acres set aside by the City of Iowa City from the grounds ofthe city's new
Water Treatment Plant (currently under construction).
Boundary Jugifleadon
The nominated property includes all of the acreage of the original 16.24-acre farmstead owned by the
Montgomery and Butler families that remains undisturbed by the construction of a. new Water Treatment Plod on this
property. The nominated property contains the most significant historic features of the larger farmstead that are known to
survive, including the house, crib, the most intact section of the former road, and the extant foundations of former
agricultural outbuildings. Aside fain the sawmill and ferry lauding, which were lasted along the river, no significant
buildings or structures outside the nominated area are known to have been built on the site. Two small houses constructed
along the Iowa. River is the early twentieth century have been removed by the City of Iowa City.
94
Appendix 3:
Iowa Foundations with potential for supporting development of the Montgomery -Butler
House and site
• Amerus Group Charitable Foundation
699 Walnut at.
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 283-2371
Field of Interest: natural resource protection & conservation; community development
Geographic Area: primarily Iowa
• Robert T. Bates Foundation
clo First Iowa State Bank
19 Benton Ave. E.
Albia, IA 52531
(516) 932-2144
Field of Interest: historic preservation
Geographic Area: primarily Iowa
• Harold R. Bechtel Testamentary Charitable Trust
1000 Firstar Ctr.
201 W. Zd St.
Davenport, IA 62801
(319) 328-3333
Field of Intent: community development
Geographic Area: primarily Soott County but also Iowa
• James W. Hubbell Jr. & Helen H. Hubbell Foundation
clo 13ankers Trust Co., Trust Dept.
665 4ocust St.
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 245-2800
Field of interest; historic preservation
Geographic Area: primarily Iowa
• Pella Rolecreen Foundation
clo Pella Corp.
102 Main St.
Pella, IA 50219
(515) 628-6070
Field of Interest: arts/cultural programs
Geographic Area: primarily Iowa
• Martha Ellen Tye Foundation
P.O. Box 428
Marshalltown, IA 50158-0428
Field of Interest: historic preservation
Geographic Area: primarily Iowa
95
Appendix 4:
Interpretation of Geological Resources at Montgomery -Butler House Site
Based on an outline provided by Cyr. Jean C. Prior, Ph.D, Geological Survey Bureau
Department of Natural Resources, Iowa City, IA, May 16, 2001.
Topographic features and landscape evolution
Upland bluff overlooking Iowa River valley. History of Iowa River carving the valley
and shaping the surrounding terrain.
Bedrock control (right-angle bends following fracture traces).
Glacial -age materials composing the bluff ,and their origins
Earth materials on site: their geologIcal story
Loess (and blow sand') overlying 500,000 -year-old glacial till (glacial age materials
and processes); Iowa River valley alluvium (glacial mettwwater route),
Devonian bedrock beneath.
Silurian bedrock beneath.
Construcgon materials u$ed in house
Native stone -Devonian age (375 million years ago); either State Quarry Limestone
or Cedar Valley Group (tropical marine environments; fossil remains of life
forms). Tie4n to Devonian Fossil Gorge at Coralville Dam and Iowa Hall Gallery
at the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History.
Groundwater resoumn and now municipal wells
Diver water; shallow alluvial sand and gravel; and deeper bedrock aquifers.
Wells draw water supplies from these underground sources.
ill
Appendix 5;
Consultant for Montgomery -Butler House Reuse Feasibility Study
Marlys A. Svendsen, Svendsen Tyler, Inc.
Marlys A. Svendsen is president of Svendsen Tyler, Inc., a historic preservation consulting firm located in
northwest Wisconsin. Svendsen founded the firm In Davenport, Iowa in 1988 after working for 12 years for
state and municipal governments in the historic preservation and community development fields. The firm
relocated to Sarona, Wisconsin in 1993.
Svendsen graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa in 1975 with a degree in history and political
science and continued study at the University of Iowa in journalism. She worked for the Mate of lowa's historic
preservation off" for three years beginning in 1976_ During the 1980s she served as historic preservation
planner and senior planner for community development initiatives for the City of Davenport. During her nine-
year tenure with the City of Davenport, she was closely involved with restorations of municipal properties and
local landmarks owned by commercial developers and private individuals. $vendsen has written and
published three popular books on Davenport history and architecture including Davenport, Iowa: A Pictorial
History published In 1986 to celebrate the city's sesquicentennial.
During the decade of the 1990s Svendsen completed a variety of projects for the City of Iowa City. Her first
involved preparation of the Iowa City Comprehensive Historic Preservation Plan in 1993 followed by
completion of the Brown Street National Register Nomination the following year. Subsequent projects included
neighborhood surveys in the North Side, Goosetown and most recently, the Downtown. She has been a
frequent guest lecturer and presenter at the Iowa City Historic Preservation Commission's Annual Historic
Preservation Awards Program. In 1993, the Commission selected Svendsen to receive the Margaret Nowysz
Preservation Person of the Year award.
Svendsen's work today principally includes historical research and architectural analysis for individual
properties and neighborhoods. She also works with private developers, municipal governments and not -for -
profit corporations doing master planning for historic buildings, neighborhood conservation, comprehensive
preservation planning and historical survey work. She frequently participates as a consulting member of Main
Street resource team$ and works with local historic preservation commissions,
Svendsen has been active in a range of community and statewide organizations including the National Trust
for Historic Preservation, the Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance, the Iowa Mississippi River Parkway
Commission, and the Riverboat Development Authority in Davenport. In the 1980s Svendsen was named by
the Quad City 77mes as a local "Mover and Shake' and in 1990 the Des Moines Register named her as one of
25 "Up and Comee' leaders from throughout Iowa.
97
@ h �
Montgomery -Butler House, south front from roadside, facing northwest
Montgomery -Butter House, south front, east side, facing northwest
Montgomery -Butler House, Chicken House (non -extant), west and.south sides, facing north nadheakt
Montgomery -Butler House, Barn (non -extant) south and east sides, facing north northwest
ua cn
-historic P reser�ration Conic- iission
I. �"s,'"'�� . � �i �'��• .� _��_ :. i sn- I I:1II, 4 lii 11 AA i hin��tr a ,rrc-c�. It l:ih I
MEMORANDUM
Date: April 28, 2020
To: Historic Preservation Commission
From: Kevin Boyd, Chair, Historic Preservation Commission
Re: Montgomery -Butler House
Request: We ask City Staff to help form a working group of relevant city departments and
citizens out a plan and recommendation for an adaptive reuse and path forward for the
Montgomery -Butler House.
Background: The City acquired this historic asset in the 1990s as part of the land acquisitions
for the water plant site. Shortly after, the City received a grant to moth -ball the property to
preserve it for future use. While it is located in Waterworks Prairie Park, the land surrounding
the water treatment facility at the park is maintained by the Public Works Department. We likely
need representatives of all relevant City Departments as well as citizens including someone
from our commission, someone from Parks and Recreation Commission, perhaps some of the
regular users of Waterworks park (many of whom recently engage the City Council over an
unrelated issue). It's our job to provide concrete direction and let the City Staff map out the
details.
Why find an adaptive reuse of the Montgomery -Butler House?
1. Previous City leaders made this commitment. The City acquired a historic asset in
the late 1990s as part of the land acquisition for the water plant site. The City received a
grant to moth -ball the property for future reuse. That moth -balling is showing signs of
failure. We need to act.
2. The City has had recent success in adaptive reuse of historic properties. Public
Space One's new home at 225 and 229 N Gilbert is a great example of the City
preserving historic resources and opening up discussions and ideas from the community
about what the use for this historic asset might be. The group should invite a community
discussion about how to use this historic asset. While the result might simply be a
shelter or trail head, the creative minds of our community may result in a great idea.
3. It's the right thing to do during the climate crisis. The structure already contains the
embodied energy, the energy it used to construct the building - its materials, transport,
and assembly. If the building is demolished because of neglect, that energy is lost. Let's
keep this city -owned resource out of the landfill and find another use for this structure.
It's an opportunity to lead by example - get the community thinking about how to reuse
buildings instead of demolishing them and adding to our landfill.
4. It's part of our shared history. Cultural continuity between generations, stitch together
our past and our future. Walter and Elizabeth Butler were a little like the godparents of
Iowa City. When the territorial legislature needed a place to meet in Iowa City, the
Butlers built what came to be known as Butler's Capitol. After Walter's death, Elizabeth
lived in this house and with her second husband, Martin Montgomery, they operated a
ferry to cross the Iowa River at this point on Dubuque Road. This structure was likely
built between 1856 and 1859. Finding an adaptive reuse is part of the Historic
Preservation Commission's Annual Work Plan and the City's Historic Preservation Plan.
6 Mill --ok DV
_
`rks Prairie Park
Chickeo/-Iouse�
Corn Crib (looking northeast)
One ufthe oldest structures inJohnson
County, the Montgomery -Butler house
was built around 1858for the family n[
Elizabeth (Go|beath)Butler Montgomery
(widow oyMartin Montgomery) and her
Butler children.
This area isalso historically significant
for its support of saw
mill and eferry service across the Iowa
River (known aa^But|er'oLand1ng^).
which began in 1854.The Montgomery -
Butler Houueienotegamhi\octumUymo
anexample o[uvernacular stone dwelling
with Greek Revival features that were
typical ofresidential architecture predating
the Civil War in Iowa City and Johnson
County.
The property also includes apartially
collapsed dWcorncrib dating from
the first half o[the twentieth century and
several stone and concrete foundations o[
former outbuildings built between the mid -
nineteenth and mid -twentieth centuries.
xnimportant pioneer family |nJohnson
County, Walter and Elizabeth Butler came
UoIowa City in183S. Mr. Butler was a
local businessperson and real estate
investor, Hadied in 1844 Elizabeth
married Martin Montgomery in185O
Members oythe Butler family lived on
the site until after Bizubath'edeath in
1G88.Since then, the house and farm
were rented totenants who grew melons
onthe fertile river bottom|and.raised
livestock and operated awood lot. The
Butler descendents sold the property |n
1344.The house was vacant for about
twenty years before the City o[Iowa
City acquired itin1SS5oopart uyland
purchased for the construction of the new
Iowa City Water Treatment Plant.
House, southwest side
Mrs. Stevens onriver, Bend in river near farm, Glen & Guy Stevens Glen& Guy Stevens
c�/090s c1O80s feeding pigs, c/880o at woodpi16, c./890x
o*mrn��w�� awym *°,*�o �� ° "�v�=m^���«�~�—c="v**�I/«="°�w�z�
Iowa City Parks & Recreation Commission Packet
March 2022
Upcoming Events
• Dog Sweater Pawty — Saturday, March 5, 2-3:30 pm; Thornberry Dog Park
• Things That Go, STEAM Event — Friday, March 18 — Saturday, March 19, 10 am — 4 pm; RAL
o Two day interactive STEAM event featuring Duplo, Brio, Lego, Hot Wheels, trains, RC vehicles and
more. No registration required, free event for the community.
• Underwater Egg Hunt, Saturday, April9, 10-10:45 am
• Woo Hoo! It's the Insect Zoo! — Sunday, April 24, 1-4 pm; Robert A. Lee Recreation Center
o View and interact with live insects and other arthropods from the Iowa State University's diversity,
ecology and behavior of arthropods. No registration required, free event for the community.
• Open Roller Skating —Saturday evenings 6-7:45 pm; Robert A. Lee Recreation Center
Notable from Parks & Recreation Staff
Parks:
• The playground has finally arrived for Glendale Park. Staff will be installing this playground once
conditions allow this spring.
• Athletics, Forestry, and Horticulture staff have recently attended industry presentations/training events.
• The request for proposals for the capital improvement tree planting project is currently open.
• Seasonal staff hiring is well underway and approximately % of positions have been filled.
• Staff is working with DNR staff and a nearby sawmill to partner on urban wood use and divert usable
wood from the landfill.
Recreation:
• Staff continues to work with Berry -Dunn on strategizing for the recreation master plan, most specifically
as it pertains to community engagement, surveys, data analysis and visioning.
• Program Supervisor staff has begun planning for Summer programs and events. The hiring of seasonal
summer staff continues.
Cemetery:
• Seasonal applications are still trickling in and two positions have been filled. Still looking to pick up one
more for the Spring/Summer seasons.
Facilities:
Iowa City Parks and Recreation Commission Packet I City of Iowa City
• Due to inclement weather, staff training for the new dehumidification system was moved to February
22. Remaining items include a fan for the spa area and the new fencing around the unit. The fencing
will not take place until spring.
• Interviews are scheduled for the weekend part-time custodial position for March 4cn
Top Staff Issues
Parks
• Inflation and availability of goods/supplies is an ongoing challenge.
Recreation
• Applications for many positions, particularly aquatics, have been slower than usual to come in.
• The Special Events and Communications Program Supervisor position closes for applications on March 4.
Interviews will begin shortly thereafter.
• Illnesses have been detrimental to attendance for hourly staff positions.
Cemetery
• Staff has been busy with snow/ice removal.
• Total Tree care has removed 10 Ash trees that were in bad shape. Only 4 large Ash remain in the
Cemetery.
Facilities
• Staff are working to adjust and accommodate occupancy building temperatures for the varied outdoor
temperatures of February.
• As the public engage in more indoor activities, the staff have worked to keep masks and hand sanitizer
available for patrons.
• Staff are continuing to work on small interior projects.
Iowa City Parks and Recreation Commission Packet I City of Iowa City
. ................ . . .
City of Iowa City FacHity Sustaii riabl i lit V Projects
sevpn it'„ 01 IWA19 (I'V RrOtpqac-einaA- RomoN: EnArpnowntal 5ustoInubiUly
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MOMF,owa City Parks and Recreation Commission acket I City of Iowa City
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FY 19 Revenue Report
Iowa City Parks and Recreation Commission Packet I City of Iowa City
THE FOLLOWING WAS
PRESENTED DURING THE PARKS
AND RECREATION
COMMISSION MEETING ON
WEDNESDAY., MARCH 9,2022.
City of Iowa City, Iowa
Recreation Facilities & Programs Master Plan
,p:i(cller jr �eji �1,'y,
p, Fl�'WILLAMS L!q
b BerryDunn ARCH TECTSb6,,',,',,U ATICS I a Mi 1"'G ro u
February 10, 2022
HITCH
6 -R'O'-U IF I/P111,
zk 20, - 0 Ol 0,
j���
Focus GrcAip Suimir-nairy
NeedsAssessr-nent Surrre IResu ft's
Sunrirriairy of Pop k Jp Events
D
SOC-iOl F 4'111POillt.- SUrnirncgry loSurveys
Sodd F"inp6nt: Sua-,irnairy of IIdeas WaHI
Sodal Piinplo� irit: .iiit IPcirlk Flodl IForUrn IRE.�SLIftf3
H�gh Levd "I"heirries
The firweek in, November, 10 focus gits were
canducted that included 44 people,
Aquatics (2)
RIPOC (2),
Business & Msitor Organizations
Iowa It Leaders
Non -Profit: Disability &adaptive Services
Non -Profit: Faith Based Services
Non -Profit: Social & Family Services
Non -Profit: Youth ..lben Advocacy
Following antrodutions, each grouip was asked 12
questions focused on:
Initial Lhoughts about the Department
Commitmenit,to Diiversity, Equiity, and Inclusion
Recreation Ce,niters
Outdoor Facilities
Aquatics
Programs
Following antrodutions, each grouip was asked 12
questions focused on:
Initial Lhoughts about the Department
Commitmenit ,to Diiversity, Equiity, and Inclusion
Recreation Ce,niters
Outdoor Facilities
What can Department do to be more well coming?
mm B e mre 14ncluislive to rninorities -reduce barriers
Hire more diverse staff — make sure staff matches dernographics
Provide literature and programs in different nanguages
Train staff on Diversity, Equity, and McVusion
Address transportation issues
Lairge populaflon with disabihties that are not being served
Provide aH geinder restroorns and farnily Icy ckeir rooirnis
of Improve and enhanice communication and program promotion
(not everyorie is tech savvy)
On a scale of 1 — 10, how iirnportant is it for the City to
fund programs for underservice populations
On a scalIe of 1 — 10,1 how important is it for every child
tri lonrin hnim to czwim?
If the cost was -the same would you:
mm A.) Renovate City Park Pool 'to look the same as it is now
,ill, 45,80�11110'
,ill, B. igin a new pool layout with new amenities
,ill, 54,2�11110'
H�ow supportive, are you of improving outdoor athletic
fields for tournament purposes?
A.) INo opk'flon/don't now enougfi/ineed more information
1111 3 6 81'11�,
�B.) Supportive
1111 42 1 1'111�i
C. Unsupportive
,ill 21.1 "14101
Survey mailled to ranidomlly s6lected residents iin C emb�er
Option- paper survey returned via mailed or onHne survey
Goal was to obtain 350 surveys — 450 were collected
011
Reinwine Recreation in lotw City
Dew SO& p towa: Ckv Re%kfP"M,
you tove becn ra If I&ITTAY "7eterw ed t e ump je t"' 0 1 k ',Aj 11 Very % 0 80'a t Wi I"R �au r raii t a 0 a a ,I od
pea 0,01"OnCell 4bokid Ww"I 6tv% 'ec'e"'ition, Facilities and pwpanm. Tho "ovey voffl take
V5,M ininutes to i oifnpllete Data whc'led vAH h0p Wie to r Oty Pate k,a wo,
Recreq,)Oon Department, rJan frpr tutm e recie at an opponunifles That fg Oy nwel I he
commun4y's nevdr and Pav tic ilp"I I icin kvOluntary, 'I I w survey is antmyn,"xks dind
yw wRI rKa be uwaN tee hu Nafiew irkwoo6on,
lZ2% 21%
Respondents were asked to irate the iimpoirtance of programs and facilities offered I
the City of Ilowa City, The top three responses are as follows:
Provide safe recreation activities for residents
Provide opplortunities for residents to maintain or improve physicai health,
Provide llow-cost recreation skill devOopment classes, for youth
The top five, facilities used o,r visited y respondents include,
im Robert A. Lee Recreation Center (70%,)
ma City Parl l (61 %)
ma Mercer Park Recreation Center — Scanlon Gymi (6,0%,)
jim Indoor IPooU at IMercer Park Aquafic Center (591%)
jim lindoor IPooI at Robert A. Lee Recreation Center (48%)
Outdoor pool amenities that are most important to rseaten
n Lap lanes (25%)
Shade areas (23%)
Deck chairs (22%)
Open, recreational swimming area (21 %)
With, the age of it IPark Pool, there is a need to renovatethis
facility. Respondents were asked, if the cost werethe same, if they
wouII d prefer:
n A new, pool layout with �new amenities (67%) or
,t)) Renovate the pool to look the same as it does now (17%)
A total of 16% of survey respondents did not respond to this question.
Survey respondents were asked how supportive they are ofthe City
making im provements, to outdoorsparts facilities that will attract
anvil retain large youth and adult sports tournaments.
,jjjj) Very supporfive (3,6%)
,ljjjj Supportive (30%),
Neut14 (22%,)
Not supportive (71%,)
,,ill, Not at all supporfive (6�%)
A great majority (82%) think it is elrther important or very
important for the City to fund programs for underserved
popWations.
The PIR reflects the importance that respondents place on items,
(sum of top fourchoices) and unmetneeds (needs that are being
only partly or not met) for each facility and program.
i
Top Priorities for inives,tment of recr'eafloli c&'Aerarn&qifle!s'
im kidoor waking/joggiing track (200)
u Weighit room (1102)
Fitness room (913)
MeditafionNbga StUdio (93),
wi Arts & Crafts dassroorn (89)
The PIR reflects the importance that respondents place on items,
(sum of top fo!cur chug ces) and unmetneeds (needs that are being
only partly or not met) for each facility and program.
I
Top Priorities for inn tram of recreaflGI P:rog�rwi �I-wtng-
1:
im ACILAt fitness and weilness programs (174)
u Nature programs (13,0),
Farmers, IMarket (124)
w AdUlt art classes (80)
wi Adult art, daince, performing arts, (615)
The PIR reflects the importance that respondents place on items,
(sum of top fourchug ces) and unmetneeds (needs that are being
only partly or not met) for each facility and program.
Top Priorities for inives,tment of uWoo,' )o6:: arn&,iffi(�.s:
im Shade areas (192)
u Lazy river (162)
Deck chairs (1 54)
Lap lanes (135
wi Recreational swimrning area, (134),
The PIR reflects the importance that respondents place on items,
(sum of top fo!cur chug ces) and unmetneeds (needs that are being
only partly or not met) for each facility and program.
i --
Top Priorities for inives,tment for p(D6� jx"I'Dgratn�"�.
� , " z
im Water fi Mess c;iasses/water erobl is (190)
u Lap sWnirningi (-1 6)
,j), Senior aquatic prograrns (158)
x Swim llessons (157),
wj Family open swim (139)
Department staff held 17 pop-up events during September & October
with four activities at each evenit
mi Recreafloin facifity funding
Program linterests
FUtUre of City Park Pod
B�airriers, to participation
Also ari opportunity to provide input at the Library Novernber 16 - 18
Irair
Recreation Facility Funding
IM. Everyone was provided three $5 Nis and asked to divide into six voting
boxes
Event
Outdoor
Aquatics
Indoor
Aquatics
Recreation
Centers
Outdoor
Fields
Indoor
Fields
Gyms
Total
Participants
Rec-N-Roll/Dog Paddie
$140
$115
$55
$50
$55
$20
29
City High Swim Meet
$90
$70
$60
$20
$20
$10
17
Youth Swim Lessons
$55
$70
$35
$145
$45
$10
24
Rec-N-Rohl
$55
$75
$35
$20
$35
$30
17
Rec-N-Rolll
$65
$35
$30
$10
$15
$25
12
SodaFest
$180
$160
$115
$65
$120
$90
49
National Hispanic Heritage Event
$35
$10
$115
$10
$20
$25
14
Rec-N-Roll
$01
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
0
Farmers Market (Saturday)
$45
$35
$45
$30
$10
$15
12
Rec-N-Roll
$65
$5
$5
$5
$5,
$5
6
Rec-N-Roll
$20
$15
$45
$10
$15
$15
8
Farmers Market (Saturday)
$155
$275
$195
$125
$90
$190
69
Hec-N-Roll (RAIN)
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
0
i4alloween Carnival
$65
$50
$25
$5
$35
$0
36
Rec-N-Roll
$01
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
0
General
$15
$30
$15
$25
$0
$5
6
General
$0
$0
$0,
$0
$0
$0
0
$975
$945
$775
$520
$465
$440
299
Irair
I Program Interests
NNEGR���,r�.
Aquatics
93
31.1%
IC Farmers Market
93
311%
Nature & Environment
76
25.4%
Cooking
71
23.7%
Gardieniinig
68
22.7%
Fitness
67
22A%
Arts & Crafts
64
21.4%
Music
63
2,1 1%
Dance & Movernert
59
19.7%
Outdoor Adventures
58
19.4%
Events
54
18.1%
Adult Sports
51
17.1%
Camips
49
16,4%
Cycling
49
16.4%
Pets
49
164%
Lifelong Learning
47
15.7%
Historical
45
15.1%
Wellness
41
13.7%
Winter Sports
41
13.7%
Kids Club
38
12,7%
Drama
34
11A%
Martial Arts
34
11A%
Youth Sports
32
10.7%
Computers & Tech
31
10.4%
Inclusive Rec
28
9,4%
STEAM
24
8,0%
Teen Ren
24
8,0%
E-Sports
13
4.3%
Irair
City Park Pool — for this activity, participants were asked If
the cost were the same, woWd you prefer to:
j,jj)j, Renovate City Park Poo�l to look the same way it does now.
j,jj)j, IDesign, a new pool layout with new amenities."
W
RMirl i "OV51 ifil R . 0 0 1
TV 141 - 0 6
JI.J I A 11 00 0 � I
Pop-Ulp Events Facility Barriers
Parking fees
28
24.3%
I'm too busy
19
16.5%
Facilities too far from residence
15
13.0%
Utilize other recreation facilities
14
12.2%
Hours of operation are inconvenient
12
10.4%
Don't know anyone that uses facility
12
10.4%
Fees too high
9
7.8%
Lack of transportation
8
7.0%
Hours difficult to find
7
6.1%
Language barrier
6
5,2%
Facilities do not have right equipment
5
4.3%
Not interested
4
15%
Don't feel safe
4
M%
Other
4
3.5%
Facilities not well maintained
2
1,7%
Poor customer service
2
1.7%
There were 10, additional corrin-iients related to the need for rylore prograirl-I
promiotion and fruistratin s with, thiebsite and online registration
Irair
Program Barriers
Didn't Know Program/Activity Existed
64
55.7%
Classes full
24
20.9%
Program times not convenient
23
20,0%
Website hard to navigate
18
15.7%
Past negative experience
15
13.0%
Difficult registration
11
9.6%
Other
10
8.7%
Transportation not available
8
7.0%
Program not offered
7
6.1%
Not interested
6
5.2%
Fees too high
5
4.3%
Lack of quality programs
4
3.5%
Not offered in, preferred language
4
3.5%
Use programs offered Iby others
4
3.5%
1"A
I 'The siite attracted 2 unique stakeho�derg who provided
409 comments and submitted 667 surveys
W
U�sers Survey — 462 responses
#,)) 90% are lo�wa City residents
lim, 42.1 %, are 36 -.- 50 years in age
lim 36.8%, use Iowa City recreafion centers y1ekly
mi 72.8% agree that Iowa City is an es,sential nmvidpr in the commiulnl�ty
im 91.8% think it's important or very important that children, learn to swim
im 85.7%, have never felt uncomfortable in Iowa City facilities
66% in support f tournaments,
Favorite programs: Farmerrket (298) and Aggatics (289)
'Top means for obtaining recreation programi inforr-nation: Social Media
W
Non -Users Survey — 84 irespons,es
86 w 9 % are residents
411.7% are 26 to 35 years
% aware of activity modifications, stafftraining and adaptive
equipment for integrated recreation opportunifies
13.5,% have felt uncomfortable using facilities due to their disabiiity
75.6% iindicated facifities are not difficult to use
33,8% don't use, becads ethey doWt know janyone else using
facifities
43.8% dIon't participate in programs because they aren't are of
ff
52.6% btain information about programs and events via Social is
M
Ideas all asked rsidents to w6gh inI five topic areas:
eng /C C J6 0 310
convors,.7�ti,(,,�n,
...........................................................................
t og an"!
p e 1hi I
R o re a t or
A4.111 et 1 c
A ct u a t i s
dsai t 1 v i, f I e'.."
.......................................................................
I .................
..............................
Comments made: 31
3
38
27
23
Siocial Pinpoint - Ideas Wall continued
Programs and Activities
Fitness classes, new Iprograrnrrupung, outdoor pro gramirning, piiclkleballl, pirograirn
proniation, and self -guided tours
Special Events
m, Have a rriascat, bding back the Halloween pairade, and review events by North Liberty
Recreation Centers
Potential locatioris and new recreation spaces including an indoor track, fitness
spaces, childlcare, a teachiing kitchen, a cNildren's playground, multipurpose space,
and sauna/stear'n facilities
Athletic IFields
m, CoinsWeir indlolor and outdonor turf fields, and a large complex with good drainage that
includes r-nany sports fieldls and a stadiUmidike field for tOlUrnarnents
Aquatics
City Park Ipcod, aquatics scheduling, pooll music, and new poo,I ameNties
W
What should City Park Pool look like in the future?
If the cost was the sarne, would you prefer to:
,i,t Renovate Gity Park Pod to lIook Che same way ilt iis now
Design a new pool layout with, new amenities
Option B 98 40.5%
W
Future investment in recreation facilities — Rank the following
facilities one through six in order of investment importance
Reo-vafiun Centers hidoor Nquafies
Otiliklor Fields 611111911"DUM
0 Ouldoor Aclum6o
01,10 Ina1dooir Fichk
When taking all of the data into consideration, the following
themes rose to the top,
City �Pairk Pool Renovations
The Future of the Iowa City'Indoor Is
Recreation Centers
1m, Program Promotion
a Mercer PiickIeball Courts
According to the survey results
City Park Poo] is the second miost visited facility at 61 %
The top priorities for investment for mtdooir pool arnenities include
shade, lazy river, deck chairs,, lap lanes, and open recreafion areas,
The .top priorities -for, investment in pool iprograrns include water fitness
classes, lap swimming, sen,ioir aquatic programs, swim les,sons and
fanifly swim.
I During the pop-up events:
Outdoo�r aquafics rated highest when attendees, were asked to aflocate
$1 5.
Higher, than indloor aquatics,, recreati:ori center, outdoorfiOds, indoor fields,
and gyms.
Over 63% of attendees indiicated that they desire a new pooll layout
with the renovation of City Park Pool.
Method ,A: Renovate
with same layout
n
B. Design a new pool layout
ME=
When asked "How should we invest in our facilities?"
IndoorAquatics ranked second behind Recreation Centers
Recreation Centers rated 2,97
, Ind coirAquatic s rated 2.92
When asked "How important
how to swim?"
412 OW of 449 (911 .7%) indicated tl
important or Very important
ME=
Illim''I'VIE I 111mm is-ImUffm
v), 1 = Very Dissatisfied and 5 = Very Satisfied
jim 397 Responses
I �Evaluation of Mercer Aquatic Center Indoor Pool
kill, 1 = Very Dissafisfied and 5 = "fiery Satisfied
ME=
Many comments were made on the bless WaH with,
suggested improvements to the indoor pools including -
Warmer water
Ad6fion olif a hot tub,
Open, for longer hours
More farnfly open swirns
Salt water
Wairm Water I herapy Pool
Zero depth entry
Water features added at one olf the indocir poolls (sUde)
Larger shallow aire a at Mercer
Add zero depth entiry to the baby, pool at Mercer
ME=
Program Area
mm 441 peoplle responded to the question "what is your -favorite
program area?"
u), 28,9 (65.5%) indicated Aquatics is, one of their favorite prograrn areas
According to the survey results:
m Robert A, Lee is the most fireqUently v�sited falcHity at 70%
Ad uftfitness an dt wet I ness programs are the second imiost important
foHowing the Farmers Mrket
The top priorities for facHity investments inCde an indoor walking and
jogigingi track (200), a weight room (102),, a fitness room (93), and a
meditation/yoga space (93)
The top progiranis for Investment incUude adLdt fitness and wellness
(174) NNOWN-1-
During the p-up evenits,
ilm Recreation centers ranked third after outdoor aq�uatics and indoor
aquatics for facility investrnent.
On the Social Pinpoint site:
The following spaces were suggested as additions t innew facility- an
indoor track, fitness spaces, childcare, a teaching kitchen, a chiildlren's
playground, and it mulfipurpose space.
On the Ideas Wall, there were suggested -for new -fitness programs
such as Spin, TRX, Zumba, yoga, HI IT, Barre, boot camp,, kickboxing,
and Pillages.
During the pop-up slats®
W hien asked abOUt barri�ers to prograrn participafiori, 64 people
(55.7%) indicated that they didn't attend programs because they
were not aware
,ljjjj Another 18 people (15,.7%) indicated that the webit e was difficult
to navigate
ifai, An additional 10 comments were made about the, need for more
pirograrn marketing and -frustrations with the webit e anid onkne
registration
On the Social Pinpoint site:
When asked "where do you get your information out recreation
�l ro�girarns and events?" the responses Mcluded,
Soc�M Med:ia (224)
Word of mouth (2-15)
AcfiveNet ernaH (1 98)
Website (1811)
�Rec Gude (129)
�P,ress Releases (123)
Many commenits were IN regarding frustrations with the
website, registration, and general program piromotion.
Although this topic was not inicludled specifically as a focus area of
engagemient questions, the pickleball pllayers, weighed in,
Social Pinpoint has many comments regardinig the condlition of the
courts at Mercer and the need for more court s in'the community.
Meeting with staff this afternoon to share the earns enigagemient
summary data
Also discussing some philosophical aind con ceptuW topiics with staff
Based on today's visft, and afl the data gathiered so far, the,
COnSUlting team WH finish devOoping the prelirninary list of
recommendations
Then it's your turn again! A visioniing workshop is earmarked for the
beginning of March
�l cl ri fc) v C)
plFl�'WILIJAMS LT4 millill,
BerryDunn ARCH TECTSb6,,',,',,U ATICS , 'im� ["'Group
A
February 10, 2022
HITCH��K
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