Stone City, Iowa
Encyclopedia
Stone City is an unincorporated community
in Jones County
, Iowa
, United States
. Stone City began as a company town
for the workers of the local quarries. Stone City is known for its Anamosa Limestone
quarries, historic limestone architecture, and 1930's art colony
. Today, Stone City is an unincorporated community of less than one hundred.
. Early settlers discovered dolomite
limestone
at the location. In it's earliest history Stone City was known as the Anamosa Quarries. Later it became known as the Stone City Quarries. Stone City quickly grew as the railroad reached the area. By 1880 the population reached five hundred. In the late 1800s, Henry Dearborn, John Green
, and John Ronen each opened limestone quarries in the area. As the quarry business flourished, a city of stone emerged as hundreds of people settled in the area. As the railroad system expanded westward, distribution of limestone to bordering states increased. Stone City limestone became the primary building material for railroad bridges, bridge piers, and foundations for major buildings. Each year, between the years 1859 to 1895, over 150,000 railroad car shipments of limestone were sent from Stone City.
The city began to develop. First came a three-story, hotel and opera house complex known as Columbia Hall. It was completed in 1883 and made of 500,000 tons of stone. The theater offered some of the most well known entertainers of the day. Overlooking the town, Green built his twelve-room mansion containing seven Italian marble fireplaces, hand-painted murals, two baths, and a conservatory. Once the house was complete, Green erected more of the city – a railway station, a post office, schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop, water tower, and several houses, all made of stone.
In 1905 Portland cement
began to be produced in Waterloo, Iowa
. The use of Portland cement in place of quarried stone had an adverse effect on the economy of the Stone City and one by one the quarries began to shut down. During the next half century, nature reclaimed most of the quarries. Columbia Hall was purchased in the 1930s and torn down in 1938 to use the stone elsewhere. In 1963 the Green Mansion was tragically damaged by fire and torn down in the 1990s.
Stone City was once the location of an art colony. In 1932, Grant Wood, Edward Rowan, and Adrian Dornbush established Stone City Art Colony
. With little more than $100 and a number of promissory notes based on the success of the art colony they leased 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of land on the Green Estate
. An area of 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of the estate had been purchased by Frank Nissen in 1920.) The parcel of leased land included the Green Mansion, the Ice House and Water Tower. The upstairs portion of the house was converted into a dormitory. The rest of the house was used for business offices, kitchen, a sculpture studio and showers for the men. The basement of the ice house was made into a bar called The Sickle and Sheaf where instructor/student Dennis Burlingame tended bar. The upper portion of the water tower was converted into an apartment where Adrian Dornbush lived. It was called Adrian’s Tomb. The art colony failed. In terms of attendance and reputation the colony was a huge success. However, it was never a financial success.
(the developer of the modern trampoline
) the original three-story Stone Barn, the Quarry Office, Water Tower and Ice House are all still standing although they have been converted into private homes. The preservation of these structures, along with St. Joseph’s Catholic Church
, Schoolhouse, General Store, Dearborn Residence, Blacksmith Shop and several other private homes has helped revitalize the town with new families without losing the charm of old Stone City. Many of the remaining buildings have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
In 1952 the quarries underwent an economic revival under a new owner. The Stone City quarries have continued to grow and have become one of the largest quarries in the Midwest
. The “Stone City quarries” now ship stone all over the United States. The stone from the banks of the Wapsipinicon River can be seen in both old and new construction, not just in Iowa, but across the United States. One of the most recent uses of this limestone can be seen in the new Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles
.
in 1930. The painting is now on permanent display at Omaha's Joslyn Art Museum
. Stone City, Iowa was Wood's first major landscape
. The painting captures the sentiment Wood must have had for the area he lived all his young life. Although Wood did not include all of the buildings of Stone City at the time, many of the buildings featured in the painting still remain today. St. Joseph's Church
, the general store, and the blacksmith shop are still there.
To view Grant Wood's painting, follow this link:
Stone City, Iowa by Grant Wood
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Jones County
Jones County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 20,638 in the county, with a population density of . There were 8,911 housing units, of which 8,151 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Stone City began as a company town
Company town
A company town is a town or city in which much or all real estate, buildings , utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company...
for the workers of the local quarries. Stone City is known for its Anamosa Limestone
Anamosa Limestone
Anamosa Limestone is a dolomitic limestone quarried out of Stone City, Iowa, which is located along the Wapsipinicon River about two miles west of Anamosa, Iowa. It is distinguished by its uniform texture, color, and banding, its durability and most of all by its distinct veining. This distinctive...
quarries, historic limestone architecture, and 1930's art colony
Stone City art colony
The Stone City Art Colony was an art colony founded by Edward Rowan, Adrian Dornbush, and Grant Wood. The colony gathered on the John A. Green Estate in Stone City, Iowa during the summers of 1932 and 1933.- History :...
. Today, Stone City is an unincorporated community of less than one hundred.
1850 - 1904
Stone City was founded in 1850 along the banks of the Wapsipinicon RiverWapsipinicon River
The Wapsipinicon River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long, in northeastern Iowa in the United States. It drains a rural farming region of rolling hills and bluffs north of Waterloo and Cedar Rapids. The initial vowel rhymes with "pop".It rises in Mower County, Minnesota...
. Early settlers discovered dolomite
Dolomite
Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
at the location. In it's earliest history Stone City was known as the Anamosa Quarries. Later it became known as the Stone City Quarries. Stone City quickly grew as the railroad reached the area. By 1880 the population reached five hundred. In the late 1800s, Henry Dearborn, John Green
John Aloysius Green
John Aloysius Green was born in the parish of Moore, County Roscommon, Ireland, 10 December 1844. His parents were John Green and Bridget Green. John A. Green came to Boston, Massachusetts, September 2, 1852, and attended the common schools. In 1860 he learned the monumental trade and worked at it...
, and John Ronen each opened limestone quarries in the area. As the quarry business flourished, a city of stone emerged as hundreds of people settled in the area. As the railroad system expanded westward, distribution of limestone to bordering states increased. Stone City limestone became the primary building material for railroad bridges, bridge piers, and foundations for major buildings. Each year, between the years 1859 to 1895, over 150,000 railroad car shipments of limestone were sent from Stone City.
1905 - 1950
Portland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world because it is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and most non-specialty grout...
began to be produced in Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
. The use of Portland cement in place of quarried stone had an adverse effect on the economy of the Stone City and one by one the quarries began to shut down. During the next half century, nature reclaimed most of the quarries. Columbia Hall was purchased in the 1930s and torn down in 1938 to use the stone elsewhere. In 1963 the Green Mansion was tragically damaged by fire and torn down in the 1990s.
Stone City was once the location of an art colony. In 1932, Grant Wood, Edward Rowan, and Adrian Dornbush established Stone City Art Colony
Stone City art colony
The Stone City Art Colony was an art colony founded by Edward Rowan, Adrian Dornbush, and Grant Wood. The colony gathered on the John A. Green Estate in Stone City, Iowa during the summers of 1932 and 1933.- History :...
. With little more than $100 and a number of promissory notes based on the success of the art colony they leased 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) of land on the Green Estate
John A. Green Estate
The John A. Green Estate is a historic property in Stone City, Iowa, United States. The estate covers of land. The buildings were constructed of Anamosa Limestone quarried from John Green's own local business. The estate was placed on the U.S...
. An area of 200 acre (0.809372 km²) of the estate had been purchased by Frank Nissen in 1920.) The parcel of leased land included the Green Mansion, the Ice House and Water Tower. The upstairs portion of the house was converted into a dormitory. The rest of the house was used for business offices, kitchen, a sculpture studio and showers for the men. The basement of the ice house was made into a bar called The Sickle and Sheaf where instructor/student Dennis Burlingame tended bar. The upper portion of the water tower was converted into an apartment where Adrian Dornbush lived. It was called Adrian’s Tomb. The art colony failed. In terms of attendance and reputation the colony was a huge success. However, it was never a financial success.
1950 - Present
Thanks to the vision of George NissenGeorge Nissen
George P. Nissen was an American gymnast and inventor who developed the modern trampoline and made trampolining a worldwide sport.-Background:...
(the developer of the modern trampoline
Trampoline
A trampoline is a device consisting of a piece of taut, strong fabric stretched over a steel frame using many coiled springs. People bounce on trampolines for recreational and competitive purposes....
) the original three-story Stone Barn, the Quarry Office, Water Tower and Ice House are all still standing although they have been converted into private homes. The preservation of these structures, along with St. Joseph’s Catholic Church
St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church (Stone City, Iowa)
The cornerstone of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Stone City, Iowa was laid in 1913. The first mass was held in 1914. The church was designed by Dubuque, Iowa architect Guido Beck. The stained glass windows of the church were imported from Germany. The limestone used for the building was...
, Schoolhouse, General Store, Dearborn Residence, Blacksmith Shop and several other private homes has helped revitalize the town with new families without losing the charm of old Stone City. Many of the remaining buildings have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
In 1952 the quarries underwent an economic revival under a new owner. The Stone City quarries have continued to grow and have become one of the largest quarries in the Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. The “Stone City quarries” now ship stone all over the United States. The stone from the banks of the Wapsipinicon River can be seen in both old and new construction, not just in Iowa, but across the United States. One of the most recent uses of this limestone can be seen in the new Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Local Businesses
- Stone City Bottled Water - Supplying custom labeled bottled water for business and consumer events
- Stone City Wood Works -Custom woodworking
- Weber Stone Company -Quarrying and fabricating Anamosa LimestoneAnamosa LimestoneAnamosa Limestone is a dolomitic limestone quarried out of Stone City, Iowa, which is located along the Wapsipinicon River about two miles west of Anamosa, Iowa. It is distinguished by its uniform texture, color, and banding, its durability and most of all by its distinct veining. This distinctive...
since 1952
Culture
Stone City was immortalized in a painting by Grant WoodGrant Wood
Grant DeVolson Wood was an American painter, born four miles east of Anamosa, Iowa. He is best known for his paintings depicting the rural American Midwest, particularly the painting American Gothic, an iconic image of the 20th century.- Life and career :His family moved to Cedar Rapids after his...
in 1930. The painting is now on permanent display at Omaha's Joslyn Art Museum
Joslyn Art Museum
The Joslyn Art Museum is the principal fine arts museum in the state of Nebraska, United States of America. Located in Omaha, it is the only museum in the state with a comprehensive permanent collection...
. Stone City, Iowa was Wood's first major landscape
Landscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
. The painting captures the sentiment Wood must have had for the area he lived all his young life. Although Wood did not include all of the buildings of Stone City at the time, many of the buildings featured in the painting still remain today. St. Joseph's Church
St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church (Stone City, Iowa)
The cornerstone of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Stone City, Iowa was laid in 1913. The first mass was held in 1914. The church was designed by Dubuque, Iowa architect Guido Beck. The stained glass windows of the church were imported from Germany. The limestone used for the building was...
, the general store, and the blacksmith shop are still there.
To view Grant Wood's painting, follow this link:
Stone City, Iowa by Grant Wood
Notable people
- Paul EnglePaul EnglePaul Engle , noted American poet, editor, teacher, literary critic, novelist, and playwright. He is perhaps best remembered as the long-time director of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and as founder of the International Writing Program , both at the University of Iowa.-Life:Engle is often mistakenly...
(1908-1991) noted American poetPoetA poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, editor, teacher, literary critic, novelist, and playwright - John GreenJohn Aloysius GreenJohn Aloysius Green was born in the parish of Moore, County Roscommon, Ireland, 10 December 1844. His parents were John Green and Bridget Green. John A. Green came to Boston, Massachusetts, September 2, 1852, and attended the common schools. In 1860 he learned the monumental trade and worked at it...
(1892-1904) - George NissenGeorge NissenGeorge P. Nissen was an American gymnast and inventor who developed the modern trampoline and made trampolining a worldwide sport.-Background:...
(1914-2010) Developer of the modern trampolineTrampolineA trampoline is a device consisting of a piece of taut, strong fabric stretched over a steel frame using many coiled springs. People bounce on trampolines for recreational and competitive purposes.... - Grant WoodGrant WoodGrant DeVolson Wood was an American painter, born four miles east of Anamosa, Iowa. He is best known for his paintings depicting the rural American Midwest, particularly the painting American Gothic, an iconic image of the 20th century.- Life and career :His family moved to Cedar Rapids after his...
(1891-1942) Artist
See also
- John A. Green EstateJohn A. Green EstateThe John A. Green Estate is a historic property in Stone City, Iowa, United States. The estate covers of land. The buildings were constructed of Anamosa Limestone quarried from John Green's own local business. The estate was placed on the U.S...
- John Aloysius GreenJohn Aloysius GreenJohn Aloysius Green was born in the parish of Moore, County Roscommon, Ireland, 10 December 1844. His parents were John Green and Bridget Green. John A. Green came to Boston, Massachusetts, September 2, 1852, and attended the common schools. In 1860 he learned the monumental trade and worked at it...
- Stone City Art ColonyStone City art colonyThe Stone City Art Colony was an art colony founded by Edward Rowan, Adrian Dornbush, and Grant Wood. The colony gathered on the John A. Green Estate in Stone City, Iowa during the summers of 1932 and 1933.- History :...
- Stone City Historic DistrictStone City Historic DistrictThe Stone City Historic District is located in Stone City, Iowa, United States. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a Historic District in November 2008...
- St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church (Stone City, Iowa)St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church (Stone City, Iowa)The cornerstone of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Stone City, Iowa was laid in 1913. The first mass was held in 1914. The church was designed by Dubuque, Iowa architect Guido Beck. The stained glass windows of the church were imported from Germany. The limestone used for the building was...