NEWTON – The State Historical Society of Iowa and the nonprofit group Preservation Iowa presented the state’s highest awards for historic preservation Thursday, during the 2019 Preserve Iowa Summit in Newton. The State Historical Society, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, presented its annual Preservation Project of Merit Awards to historic properties in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Northwood and Waterloo.

The awards recognize projects that exemplify the best practices of historic preservation, meet the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings, and use the State Historic Preservation and Cultural and Entertainment District Tax Credit Program.

Among the winners were those located in:

Coon Rapids: Rural Preservation: Historic Garst Farm House – The Historic Garst Farm House, owned by Whiterock Conservancy, is a visible reminder of the agricultural innovations Roswell Garst introduced, which changed the course of farming in Iowa and the world. In 1959, during the height of the Cold War, Garst hosted Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev at the Garst family farm. The visit not only helped open conversations about worldwide agricultural practices but also eased some of the tension of the Cold War. Under the guidance of RDG Planning & Design, the home was carefully restored to its 1959 condition.

Sioux City: Special Projects: Woodbury County Courthouse Website – The Woodbury Court House in Sioux City is one of the finest examples of Prairie Architecture in the United States. It is a National Landmark and listed on the National Register. To commemorate the building’s 100th anniversary, the Woodbury County Supervisors appointed a committee to plan a week-long celebration in order to encourage locals and out-of-towners to tour the property. The committee developed an eye-catching website that depicts not only the building’s beauty but also the rich architectural history of Prairie School buildings. The Courthouse Foundation funded the project.

Sioux City: Community Effort: Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District and Railroad Museum – The Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District in Sioux City is a 30-acre site that contains surviving structures, foundations, buildings, and a rail yard from the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad shops. The district is home to one of seven surviving roundhouse terminal landscapes in the nation. After being abandoned by the railroad in 1980, the district became a junkyard for farm equipment. Twenty-five years ago, there was little indication of the area’s historic significance, but the Siouxland Historic Railroad Association acquired the property in 1995 and began to celebrate the district’s long-ignored historical assets. During the past 10 years, more than 160,000 volunteer hours helped transform the district and implement many educational programs to keep the history of the rail industry in Iowa alive.

The State Historical Society of Iowa is a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. More information about Iowa’s historic properties and locations are available on the Iowa Culture app or iowaculture.gov.