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Congratulations to the 2026 “Adaptive Reuse” Preservation at Its Best Award winner, the McKee Button Company! The McKee Button Company building was constructed in 1907 as the McKee and Bliven Button Company factory. It served as the company’s headquarters and primary manufacturing facility until operations ceased in 2019, representing more than 110 years of continuous industrial use. The property is nationally significant for its association with the freshwater pearl button industry, which was centered in Muscatine from the late nineteenth century through the mid twentieth century. At its peak, Muscatine produced the majority of freshwater pearl buttons used in the United States, supplying garment manufacturers nationwide and earning recognition as the “Pearl Button Capital of the World.” Architecturally, the building is a three story, load bearing brick industrial structure designed in the Late Victorian / Romanesque Revival style. Character defining features include arched window openings, decorative brick pilasters, parapets, and symmetrical massing. The structure combines a heavy masonry exterior with an interior timber post and beam framing system, reflecting advanced early twentieth century industrial engineering. Today, it remains the most complete and significant surviving resource associated with the freshwater pearl button industry in the United States. Congratulations to everyone involved with the McKee Button Company for winning the 2026 Adaptive Reuse award! Photo credits: Frank Grossheim, Russell Construction, Paragon Interiors.

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Just a few more photographs from Tuesday evening's reception during the Preserve Iowa Summit. We look forward to seeing you all at the next Summit!

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Thank you to everyone who joined us at Tuesday evening's reception during the Preserve Iowa Summit. We also want to thank our sponsor Hildreth Construction Services with additional support from Hartman Spiller Architecture & Interiors. Ryan Riley, photographer from Ames, photographed everyone having fun and deep conversations about preservation in Iowa!

We at Preservation Iowa had a great time at the Preserve Iowa Summit this week! Congratulations to the State Historic Preservation Office for putting together such an informative program. And the board of directors got to meet in person which was a bonus! Keep an eye on our Facebook page in the coming days. We'll be rolling out awards announcements and photos from our Tuesday evening reception.

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On May 21, 2026, the National Park Service listed the Samuel D. Butters House (1875) in Prairie City (Jasper County) in the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural significance. The property is a rare and well-preserved example of the Italianate style in Prairie City and surrounding Jasper County. The house has characteristic Italianate elements of a low-pitched hipped roof; wide overhanging eaves with decorative brackets; tall, narrow segmental arch windows with cast stone hood mouldings; and a central hall floor plan. The house was designed by Iowa architect William Foster who was one of Iowa’s most prolific and influential architects of the late 19th century and who shaped the civic and institutional landscape of the state through a wide range of public and private commissions throughout his four-decade career. The Butters House contributes to the understanding of Foster's residential commissions and the stylistic evolution of his career. Congratulations Prairie City!

Looking forward to the Preserve Iowa Summit starting tomorrow. Preservation Iowa is hosting the opening evening reception food, drink, and conversation about historic preservation! There's still time to register at https://web.cvent.com/event/15fb3f27-c3e4-4975-9570-c3263f2ee0cd/summary Special thanks to the premier event sponsor, Hildreth Construction Services. Support also provided by TNT Tuckpointing and Hartman Spiller Architecture & Interiors.

Calling all emerging professionals! Register to attend our next Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice webinar. The webinar is free! Join us at 12pm (Noon) Eastern on Tuesday, June 2nd for our sixth episode of the series. In this episode, we will be discussing Site Management. We will be joined by Mitch Maniccia, Director of Operations at the Seward House Museum in Auburn, NY and Matthew Webster, Vice President of Operations for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. We are thrilled to have these two professionals share their experience with us. Join us to hear about the ins and outs of site management, including topics such as community engagement and security. Registration link: https://usicomos.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/usicomos/eventRegistration.jsp?event=231& Many believe that there is a significant gap between the preservation theory learned in classrooms and the knowledge and skills needed for a successful career in preservation practice. Our Bridging the Gap webinar series aims to bridge this gap by providing specialized preservation training, addressing real-life applications that aren’t typically covered in academic settings. This series is funded by a grant from the Historic Preservation Education Foundation (HPEF).

The Iowa Architectural Foundation Announces its Call for Nominations for the Statewide 2026 Community Enhancement Awards THE COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT THROUGH ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN AWARD The Community Enhancement through Architecture and Design Award is intended to recognize those individuals, organizations, agencies, or communities, outside the architectural profession, who have had a significant and positive impact on the quality of life in Iowa through their support and championing of high-quality architecture and/or urban design. A history of success over multiple projects is encouraged but not required. Past recipients include EMC Insurance, The Stanley Family, Hawkeye Hotels, Krause Group, Drake University, Shelter House, Principal Financial Group, Marc Moen, Grinnell College, Mary & John Pappajohn, the Ruan family, the Greater Des Moines Partnership, the City of Des Moines and the University of Iowa. THE COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT THROUGH HISTORIC VITALIZATION AWARD The Community Enhancement through Historic Vitalization Award recognizes efforts that are dedicated to historical vitalization. Like the Architecture and Design Award, this award category is intended to recognize those individuals, organizations, agencies, or communities outside the architectural profession. This may be a singular project or a collective group of efforts. Historical preservation and/or rehabilitation of an existing building will be considered. Past recipients include Mainframe Studios, Hawkeye Hotels (for Hotel Fort Des Moines), Des Moines Film (for the Varsity Cinema), and Rialto Theater. A jury composed of both architects and non-architects will select the award recipients. Submissions selected for recognition will be notified no later than August 17, 2026. Anyone can nominate candidates. All nominations must be received by 5:00 PM, June 30, 2026. You can find the nomination form here. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeSkuSwQVilcU92Qw7YXD_7_9R5YnIFW94-UOi8YhwxhYlljA/viewform Digital entries are encouraged, but if you prefer to send a hard copy nomination, please mail it to: Iowa Architectural Foundation 400 Locust Street, Suite 100 Des Moines, IA 50309. If you have questions, please contact Evan Shaw, AIA, INVISION, at evan.shaw@invisionarch.com.

The National Park Service is now accepting applications for three grant programs, the Save America's Treasures grant program, the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization subgrant program, and the Semiquincentennial preservation grant program. These grant programs are funded through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) and help support important preservation work across the country. The deadlines for applications is varied and quickly approaching! For more information, go to: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/historicpreservationfund/project-grants.htm Pictured: Oleson Park Band Shell, Fort Dodge Save America's Treasures Grant Program $25.5 million in funding is available through the Save America's Treasures grant program for FY25. These grants help preserve nationally significant historic properties and collections. Grants are split into two different opportunities, preservation grants and collections grants. The program was established in 1999 and since inception has awarded more than $350 million in grants to over 1,300 projects across the country. Applications are due June 16th. Learn more and apply today! Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant Program $17 million in funding is available for the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization sub-grant program for FY25 and FY26. This program supports sub-grant programs that enable the rehabilitation of historic properties and rehabilitate, protect, and foster economic development of rural communities. The program was established in 2018 and named after longtime Vermont preservationists Paul Bruhn. Applications are due June 23rd. Learn more and apply today! Semiquincentennial Grant Program $11.907 million in funding is available for the Semiquincentennial grant program for FY25 and FY26. This program was established in 2019 to honor the 250th anniversary of the United States by supporting the preservation of sites and structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places that commemorate the founding of the nation. The deadline for applications is June 30th. Learn more and apply today!

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A quarter century of saving history

They’ve climbed choir lofts, crawled on gym floors, and maneuvered big bathtubs…

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The National Park Service listed the Harcourt Consolidated School Gymnasium (1941) in Harcourt, Iowa on the National Register of Historic Places on May 21, 2026. This building, designed by Iowa architect Thorwald Thorson, is a well-preserved example of a gymnasium in the Moderne style, an architectural expression popular in the Depression era and closely associated with the New Deal programs of the 1930s and early 1940s. The building’s design and construction was funded by the Work Projects Administration (WPA) and built using local labor. The architect’s use of laminated arches to support the soaring roof and other innovative materials including plywood and fiberboard represent both the development of new materials in the mid-twentieth century and of Depression-era frugality. Finally, Iowa sculptor Christian Petersen created bas relief portraits of presidents Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt and a girl and boy basketball player for the façade, an example of the federal government’s employment of artists during the Depression. This building is much loved by the residents of Harcourt and it continues to serve as a community center for meetings, recreation, and special events. Congratulations Harcourt! #webstercountyiowa #IowaHistory #iowaarchitecture #LivingNewDeal

Coming to Des Moines this fall! The National Preservation Institute presents Section 106: Agreement Documents. This advanced seminar focuses on memoranda of agreement and programmatic agreements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Learn how to survive and thrive during the agreement process through careful analysis, clear writing, and good negotiation. Review the available tools, guidelines, alternatives—and non-alternatives—to reach a favorable conclusion to the process. To learn more and register, go to: https://www.npi.org/seminars/laws-and-regulations/section-106-agreement-documents