Traveling Iowa: Seven Unique and Historic Hotels-- Part 1: Historic Park Inn in Mason City, All That and Frank Lloyd Too

From Travel Awaits site October 15, 2020, 7 unique and historic hotels in Iowa for the perfect stay" by Sara Broers.

And, we have even stayed in two.   One of our favorite states to visit, is Illinois' neighbor, Iowa.  Right 'Cross the river as they say.

And, you know me and lists.  Hard to resist.

1.  HISTORIC PARK INN, MASON CITY

Then last remaining hotel in the world designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.  The original opened in 1910, but there were big renovations complete in 2010.

If you like the Prairie Style architecture this is the place to be.

Right downtown.

Plus, check out Mason City's connection with "favorite son" Meredith Wilson and that famous musical, many of whose characters were based in Mason City folk.

The city also has the largest collection of Prairie-Style structures in Iowa, some 33 of them.

Plus, there is the Len Jus  Building with its sheet metal facade  by the Mesker Brothers.

--RoadFrankLloyd

Meskers on Route 66 in Illinois

I have written about these prefab building fronts that came into vogue in the late 1800s, early 1900s.

Here is a list of buildings with Mesker fronts along Route 66 in Illinois:

Atlanta--  4

Carlinville--  2

Dwight--  1

Edwardsville--  2

Elkhart--  1

Lincoln--  1

Normal--  1

Plainfield--  1

Staunton--  1

Virdon-- 6

--RoadDog

Mesker Me

The Mesker Company produced decorative sheet metal embossed with decorative objects which were used on the fronts of many downtown buildings in the late 1800s early 1900s (1885-1915 especially). This was a cheaper way to spruce up the front of your building and many business owners took advantage of it.

There were at least 54,000 Mesker installations across the nation with nearly 7,00 in Illinois. Indiana and Missouri had the second and third most Meskers. They fronts were produced in St. Louis and Evansville, Indiana, which accounts for why those three states had the most.

The Mesker business survived into the 1980s, before going under in 1986. Mesker Brothers Iron Works is now Mesker Doors, a maker of metal doors and frames operating out of Huntsville, Alabama.

Illinois is doing a survey of Mesker buildings.

Got Mesker? Look Around Your Town. --RoadDog

http://illinoisx.com

Got Mesker?

Well, some folks may "Got Milk," but some Midwestern towns "Got Mesker."

This means that the fronts of some downtown buildings have the efforts of the Mesker brothers on them in the form of decorative sheet metal embossed with Fleur-delis, morning glories, majestic cast-iron columns that mimicked quarried stone. And, these were extra appealing to store owners because they were comparatively cheap.

Around the turn of the last century (1885 to 1915), more than 54,000 installations were made nationwide, but mostly in the Midwest where the two companies, one in St. Louis and one in Evansville, Indiana.

Illinois alone had nearly 7,000, followed by Indiana and Missouri at numbers two and three. The Mesker business survived until the 1980s. Mesker Brothers Ironworks is now Mesker Door Co. which makes metal doors and frames in Huntsville, Alabama.

http://illinoisx.com

Got Mesker? --RoadDog

Keep an Eye Out for Mesker's

Last year, the Southern Illinoisian ran an article about the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency asking residents to help compile a list of all Mesker stores in the state.

A Mesker storefront has a "distinctive ornamental iron facade or storefront components. These were mass-produced by the Mesker Brothers in St.Louis and the George L. Mesker Co. in Evansville, Indiana.

They have a map of every known Mesker in the state at www.gotmesker.com. The website will also teach you what to look for.

This was a popular way for store owners to fancy up the front of their stores in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Even more enticing, it was comparatively cheap.

So far, 570 have been identified in Illinois and over 2,600 on the national map. At one time, 45,000 stores sported Meskers.

Got Mesker? No, I Got Milk. --RoadDog

Got Mesker on the Lincoln Highway?

Illinois is compiling a list of structures in towns and cities across the state that have fronts that were made by the Mesker Company.

There are buildings along the Lincoln Highway in Dixon, Fulton, Geneva, and Plainfield. Each has one.

Dixon-- Galena Avenue (address unknown
Fulton- 1016 Fourth Street
Geneva-- 202-206 West State
Plainfield-- 506 West Lockport

For more information, see

http://www.gotmesker.com/

Keep on Down that Two Lane Lincoln Highway. --RoadDog